> 


/'BERKELEY      \ 

LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF 
S.      CALIFORNIA 


THE  TWO  ADMIRALS 


-^sgg-. 


3IUuatrat^&  Qlabinrt  lEiUifltt 


THE  TWO  ADMIRALS 


By 


James  Fenimore  Cooper 


Boston 
Dana  Estes  &  Company 


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MOFFITT  -  UGH 


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UNOERGRAO. 

LIBRARY 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


TWO    ADMIRALS 

PAGE 

Kiss  me,  Oakes Frontispiece 

Photogravure  from  Barley  steel  plate 

It  required  a  prodigious  effort 35 

Photogravure  from  Barley  steel  plate 

The  flash,  the  roa:^.     ...  ....     456 

Photogravure  from  drawing  by  W.  H.  Overend 


PREFACE; 


It  is  a  strong  proof  of  the  diffuse  tendency  of  everything  in 
this  country  that  America  never  yet  collected  a  fleet.  Noth- 
ing is  wanting  to  this  display  of  power  but  the  will.  But  a 
fleet  requires  only  one  commander,  and  a  feeling  is  fast 
spreading  in  the  country  that  we  ought  to  be  all  comman- 
ders; unless  the  spirit  of  unconstitutional  innovation  and 
usurpation  that  is  now  so  prevalent  at  Washington  be  con- 
trolled, we  may  expect  to  hear  of  proposals  to  send  a  com- 
mittee of  Congress  to  sea,  in  command  of  a  squadron.  We 
sincerely  hope  that  their  first  experiment  may  be  made  on 
the  coast  of  Africa. 

It  has  been  said  of  Napoleon  that  he  never  could  be 
made  to  understand  why  his  fleets  did  not  obey  his  orders 
with  the  same  accuracy,  as  to  time  and  place,  as  his  corps 
(Tarmee.  He  made  no  allowances  for  the  winds  and  cur- 
rents, and  least  of  all  did  he  comprehend  that  all-important 
circumstance,  that  the  efficiency  of  a  fleet  is  necessarily  con- 
fined to  the  rate  of  sailing  of  the  dullest  of  its  ships.  More 
may  be  expected  from  a  squadron  of  ten  sail,  all  of  which 
shall  be  average  vessels,  in  this  respect,  than  from  the  same 
number  of  vessels,  of  which  one-half  are  fast  and  the  remain- 
der dull.  One  brigade  can  march  as  fast  as  another,  but  it 
is  not  so  with  vessels.  The  efficiency  of  a  marine,  therefore, 
depends  rather  on  its  working  qualities  than  on  its  number 
of  ships. 

Perhaps  the  best  fleet  that  ever  sailed  under  the  English 


6  PREFACE. 

flag  was  that  with  which  Nelson  fought  the  battle  of  the 
Nile.  It  consisted  of  twelve  or  thirteen  small  seventy-fours, 
each  of  approved  qualities,  and  commanded  by  an  officer  of 
known  merit.  In  all  respects  it  was  efficient  and  reliable. 
With  such  men  as  Hallowell,  Hood,  Trowbridge,  Foley, 
Ball,  and  others,  and  with  such  ships,  the  great  spirit  of 
Nelson  was  satisfied.  He  knew  that  whatever  seamen  could 
do,  his  comparatively  little  force  could  achieve.  When  his 
enemy  was  discovered  at  anchor,  though  night  was  ap- 
proaching and  his  vessels  were  a  good  deal  scattered,  he  at 
once  determined  to  put  the  qualities  we  have  mentioned  to 
the  highest  proof,  and  to  attack.  This  was  done  without  any 
other  order  of  battle  than  that  which  directed  each  comman- 
der to  get  as  close  alongside  of  an  enemy  as  possible — the 
best  proof  of  the  high  confidence  he  had  in  his  ships  and  in 
their  commanders. 

It  is  now  known  that  all  the  early  accounts  of  the  ma- 
noeuvring at  the  Nile,  and  of  Nelson's  reasoning  on  the  sub- 
ject of  anchoring  inside  and  of  doubling  on  his  enemies,  are 
pure  fiction.  The  "  Life,"  by  Southey,  in  all  that  relates  to 
this  feature  of  the  day,  is  pure  fiction,  as,  indeed,  are  other 
portions  of  the  work  of  scarcely  less  importance.  This  fact 
came  to  the  writer  through  the  late  Commodore  (Charles 
Valentine)  Morris,  from  Sir  Alexander  Ball,  in  the  early 
part  of  the  century.  In  that  day  it  would  not  have  done  to 
proclaim  it,  so  tenacious  is  public  opinion  of  its  errors;  but 
since  that  time  naval  officers  of  rank  have  written  on  the 
subject,  and  stripped  the  Nile,  Trafalgar,  etc.,  of  their 
poetry,  to  give  the  world  plain,  nautical,  and  probable  ac- 
counts of  both  those  great  achievements.  The  truth,  as  re- 
lates to  both  battles,  was  just  as  little  like  the  previously 
published  accounts  as  well  could  be. 

Nelson  knew  the  great  superiority  of  the  English  seamen, 
their  facility  in  repairing  damages,  and,  most  of  all,  the  high 
advantage  possessed  by  the  fleets  of  his  country,  in  the  ex- 
ercise of  the  assumed  right  to  impress,  a  practice  that  put 


PREFACE.  7 

not  only  the  best  seamen  of  his  own  country,  but  those  of 
the  whole  world,  more  or  less,  at  his  mercy.  His  great 
merit,  at  the  Nile,  was  in  the  just  appreciation  of  these  ad- 
vantages, and  in  the  extraordinary  decision  which  led  him 
to  go  into  action  just  at  nightfall,  rather  than  give  his  enemy 
time  to  prepare  to  meet  the  shock. 

It  is  now  known  that  the  French  were  taken,  in  a  great 
measure,  by  surprise.  A  large  portion  of  their  crews  were 
on  shore,  and  did  not  get  off  to  their  ships  at  all,  and  there 
was  scarce  a  vessel  that  did  not  clear  the  decks  by  tumbling 
the  mess-chests,  bags,  etc.,  into  the  inside  batteries,  render- 
ing them,  in  a  measure,  useless,  when  the  English  doubled 
on  their  line. 

It  was  this  doubling  on  the  French  line,  by  anchoring 
inside,  and  putting  two  ships  upon  one,  that  gave  Nelson 
so  high  a  reputation  as  a  tactician.  The  merit  of  this  ma- 
noeuvre belongs  exclusively  to  one  of  his  captains.  As  the 
fleet  went  in  without  any  order,  keeping  as  much  to  wind- 
ward as  the  shoals  would  permit,  Nelson  ordered  the  Van- 
guard hove-to,  to  take  a  pilot  out  of  a  fisherman.  This 
enabled  Foley,  Hood,  and  one  or  two  more  to  pass  that  fast 
ship.  It  was  at  this  critical  moment  that  the  thought  oc- 
curred to  Foley  (we  think  this  was  the  officer)  to  pass  the 
head  of  the  French  line,  keep  dead  away,  and  anchor  inside. 
Others  followed,  completely  placing  their  enemies  between 
two  fires.  Sir  Samuel  Hood  anchored  his  ship  (the  Zealous) 
on  the  inner  bow  of  the  most  weatherly  French  ship,  where 
he  poured  his  fire  into,  virtually,  an  unresisting  enemy. 
Notwithstanding  the  great  skill  manifested  by  the  English 
in  their  mode  of  attack,  this  was  the  only  two-decked  ship 
in  the  English  fleet  that  was  able  to  make  sail  on  the  fol- 
lowing morning. 

Had  Nelson  led  in  upon  an  American  fleet,  as  he  did 
upon  the  French  at  the  Nile,  he  would  have  seen  reason  to 
repent  the  boldness  of  the  experiment.  Something  like  it 
was  attempted  on  Lake  Champlain,  though  on  a  greatly 


8  PREFACE. 

diminished  scale,  and  the  English  were  virtually  defeated 
before  they  anchored. 

The  reader  who  feels  an  interest  in  such  subjects  will 
probably  detect  the  secret  process  of  the  mind,  by  which 
some  of  the  foregoing  facts  have  insinuated  themselves  into 
this  fiction. 


THE  TWO  ADMIRALS. 


CHAPTER   I. 

"  Then,  if  he  were  my  brother's, 
My  brother  might  not  claim  him  ;  nor  your  father, 
Being  none  of  his,  refuse  him  :  This  concludes — 
My  mother's  son  did  get  your  father's  heir  ; 
Your  father's  heir  must  have  your  father's  land," 

King  John, 

The  events  we  are  about  to  relate  occurred  near  the  middle 
of  the  last  century,  previously  even  to  that  struggle  which 
it  is  the  fashion  of  America  to  call  "  the  old  French  War." 
The  opening  scene  of  our  tale,  however,  must  be  sought  in 
the  other  hemisphere,  and  on  the  coast  of  the  mother  coun- 
try. In  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century,  the  American 
colonies  were  models  of  loyalty;  the  very  war  to  which 
there  has  just  been  allusion  causing  the  great  expenditure 
that  induced  the  ministry  to  have  recourse  to  the  system  of 
taxation  which  terminated  in  the  Revolution.  The  family 
quarrel  had  not  yet  commenced.  Intensely  occupied  with 
the  conflict,  which  terminated  not  more  gloriously  for  the 
British  arms  than  advantageously  for  the  British  American 
possessions,  the  inhabitants  of  the  provinces  were  perhaps 
never  better  disposed  to  the  metropolitan  state  than  at  the 
very  period  of  which  we  are  about  to  write.  All  their  early 
predilections  seemed  to  be  gaining  strength,  instead  of  be- 
coming weaker;  and,  as  in  nature  the  calm  is  known  to  suc- 
ceed the  tempest,  the  blind  attachment  of  the  colony  to  the 
parent  country  was  but  a  precursor  of  the  alienation  and 
violent  disunion  that  were  so  soon  to  follow. 


lO  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

Although  the  superiority  of  the  English  seaman  was  well 
established,  in  the  conflicts  that  took  place  between  the 
years  1740  and  that  of  1763,  the  naval  warfare  of  the  period 
by  no  means  possessed  the  very  decided  character  with 
which  it  became  stamped  a  quarter  of  a  century  later.  In 
our  own  times,  the  British  marine  appears  to  have  improved 
in  quality,  as  its  enemies  deteriorated.  In  the  year  18 12, 
however,  "  Greek  met  Greek,"  when,  of  a  verity,  came  "  the 
tug  of  war."  The  great  change  that  came  over  the  other 
navies  of  Europe  was  merely  a  consequence  of  the  revolu- 
tions, which  drove  experienced  men  into  exile,  and  which, 
by  rendering  armies  all- important  even  to  the  existence  of 
the  different  states,  threw  nautical  enterprises  into  the 
shade,  and  gave  an  engrossing  direction  to  courage  and  tal- 
ent in  another  quarter.  While  France  was  struggling,  first 
for  independence,  and  next  for  the  mastery  of  the  continent, 
a  marine  was  a  secondary  object;  for  Vienna,  Berlin,  and 
Moscow  were  as  easily  entered  without  as  with  its  aid.  To 
these,  and  other  similar  causes,  must  be  referred  the  expla- 
nation of  the  seeming  invincibility  of  the  English  arms  at 
sea,  during  the  late  great  conflicts  of  Europe;  an  invincibil- 
ity that  was  more  apparent  than  real,  however,  as  many  well- 
established  defeats  were,  even  then,  intermingled  with  her 
thousand  victories. 

From  the  time  when  her  numbers  could  furnish  succor  of 
this  nature,  down  to  the  day  of  separation,  America  had  her 
full  share  in  the  exploits  of  the  English  marine.  The  gen- 
try of  the  colonies  willingly  placed  their  sons  in  the  royal 
navy,  and  many  a  bit  of  square  bunting  has  been  flying  at 
the  royal  mastheads  of  king's  ships,  in  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury, as  the  distinguishing  symbols  of  flag-officers  who  had 
to  look  for  their  birthplaces  among  ourselves.  In  the  course 
of  a  checkered  life,  in  which  we  have  been  brought  in  col- 
lision with  as  great  a  diversity  of  rank,  professions,  and 
characters  as  often  falls  to  the  lot  of  any  one  individual,  we 
have  been  throxMi  into  contact  with  no  less  than  eight  Eng- 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  II 

lish  admirals  of  American  birth;  while  it  has  never  yet 
been  our  good  fortune  to  meet  with  a  countryman  who  has 
had  this  rank  bestowed  on  him  by  his  own  government.  On 
one  occasion,  an  Englishman,  who  had  filled  the  highest 
civil  office  connected  with  the  marine  of  his  nation,  ob- 
served to  us  that  the  only  man  he  then  knew,  in  the  British 
navy,  in  whom  he  should  feel  an  entire  confidence  in  en- 
trusting an  important  command,  was  one  of  these  translated 
admirals;  and  the  thought  unavoidably  passed  through  our 
mind,  that  this  favorite  commander  had  done  well  in  adher- 
ing to  the  conventional,  instead  of  clinging  to  his  natural 
allegiance,  inasmuch  as  he  might  have  toiled  for  half  a 
century  in  the  service  of  his  native  land,  and  been  rewarded 
with  a  rank  that  would  merely  put  him  on  a  level  with  a 
colonel  in  the  army!  How  much  longer  this  short-sighted 
policy  and  grievous  injustice  are  to  continue,  no  man  can 
say;  but  it  is  safe  to  believe  that  it  is  to  last  until  some 
legislator  of  influence  learns  the  simple  truth,  that  the  fan- 
cied reluctance  of  popular  constituencies  to  do  right  oftener 
exists  in  the  apprehensions  of  their  representatives  than  in 
reality. —  But  to  our  tale. 

England  enjoys  a  widespread  reputation  for  her  fogs;  but 
little  do  they  know  how  much  a  fog  may  add  to  natural 
scenery  w^ho  never  witnessed  its  magical  effects,  as  it  has 
caused  a  beautiful  landscape  to  coquette  with  the  eye,  in 
playful  and  capricious  changes.  Our  opening  scene  is  in 
one  of  these  much-derided  fogs;  though,  let  it  always  be 
remembered,  it  was  a  fog  of  June,  and  not  of  November. 
On  a  high  headland  of  the  coast  of  Devonshire  stood  a  little 
station-house,  which  had  been  erected  wdth  a  view  to  com- 
municate by  signals  with  the  shipping  that  sometimes  lay 
at  anchor  in  an  adjacent  roadstead.  A  little  inland,  was  a 
village,  or  hamlet,  that  it  suits  our  purposes  to  call  Wyche- 
combe;  and  at  no  great  distance  from  the  hamlet  itself,  sur- 
rounded by  a  small  park,  stood  a  house  of  the  age  of  Henry 
VII.,  which  was  the  abode  of  Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe,  a 


12  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

baronet  of  the  creation  of  King  James  I.,  and  the  possessor 
of  an  improvable  estate  of  some  three  or  four  thousand  a 
year,  which  had  been  transmitted  to  him  through  a  line  of 
ancestors  that  ascended  as  far  back  as  the  times  of  the 
Plantagenets.  Neither  Wychecombe,  nor  the  headland,  nor 
the  anchorage,  was  a  place  of  note;  for  much  larger  and 
more  favored  hamlets,  villages,  and  towns  lay  scattered 
about  that  fine  portion  of  England ;  much  better  roadsteads 
and  bays  could  generally  be  used  by  the  coming  or  the  part- 
ing vessel ;  and  far  more  important  signal-stations  were  to 
be  met  with,  all  along  that  coast.  Nevertheless,  the  road- 
stead was  entered  when  calms  or  adverse  winds  rendered  it 
expedient;  the  hamlet  had  its  conveniences,  and,  like  most 
English  hamlets,  its  beauties;  and  the  hall  and  park  were 
not  without  their  claims  to  state  and  rural  magnificence.  A 
century  since,  whatever  the  table  of  precedency  or  Black- 
stone  may  say,  an  English  baronet,  particularly  one  of  the 
date  of  1611,  was  a  much  greater  personage  than  he  is  to- 
day; and  an  estate  of  ^4,000  a  year,  more  especially  if  not 
rack-rented,  was  of  an  extent,  and  necessarily  of  a  local 
consequence,  equal  to  one  of  near  or  quite  three  times  the 
same  amount  in  our  own  day.  Sir  Wycherly,  however,  en- 
joyed an  advantage  that  was  of  still  greater  importance,  and 
which  was  more  common  in  1745  than  at  the  present  mo- 
ment. He  had  no  rival  within  fifteen  miles  of  him,  and  the 
nearest  potentate  was  a  nobleman  of  a  rank  and  fortune  that 
put  all  competition  out  of  the  question ;  one  who  dwelt  in 
courts,  the  favorite  of  kings;  leaving  the  baronet,  as  it 
might  be,  in  undisturbed  enjoyment  of  all  the  local  homage. 
Sir  Wycherly  had  once  been  a  member  of  Parliament,  and 
only  once.  In  his  youth  he  had  been  a  fox-hunter;  and  a 
small  property  in  Yorkshire  had  long  been  in  the  family, 
as  a  sort  of  foothold  on  such  enjoyments ;  but,  having  broken 
a  leg  in  one  of  his  leaps,  he  had  taken  refuge  against  enn?/:', 
by  sitting  a  single  session  in  the  House  of  Commons,  as  the 
member  of  a  borough  that  lay  adjacent  to  his  hunting-box. 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  1 3 

This  session  sufficed  for  his  whole  life;  the  good  baronet 
having  taken  the  matter  so  literally  as  to  make  it  a  point  to 
be  present  at  all  the  sittings;  a  sort  of  tax  on  his  time 
which,  as  it  came  wholly  unaccompanied  by  profit,  was  very 
likely  soon  to  tire  out  the  patience  of  an  old  fox-hunter. 
After  resigning  his  seat,  he  retired  altogether  to  Wyche- 
combe,  where  he  passed  the  last  fifty  years,  extolling  Eng- 
land, and  most  especially  that  part  of  it  in  which  his  own 
estates  lay;  in  abusing  the  French,  with  occasional  innuen- 
does against  Spain  and  Holland;  and  in  eating  and  drink- 
ing. He  had  never  travelled;  for,  though  Englishmen  of 
his  station  often  did  visit  the  continent  a  century  ago,  they 
of  tener  did  not.  It  was  the  courtly  and  the  noble,  who  then 
chiefly  took  this  means  of  improving  their  minds  and  man- 
ners; a  class  to  which  a  baronet  by  no  means  necessarily 
belonged.  To  conclude,  Sir  Wycherly  was  now  eighty-four; 
hale,  hearty,  and  a  bachelor.  He  had  been  born  the  oldest 
of  five  brothers;  the  cadets  taking  refuge,  as  usual,  in  the 
inns  of  court,  the  church,  the  army,  and  the  navy;  and  pre- 
cisely in  the  order  named.  The  lawyer  had  actually  risen 
to  be  a  judge,  by  the  style  and  appellation  of  Baron  Wyche- 
combe;  had  three  illegitimate  children  by  his  housekeeper, 
and  died,  leaving  to  the  eldest  thereof  all  his  professional 
earnings,  after  buying  comrnissions  for  the  two  younger  in 
the  army.  The  divine  broke  his  neck,  while  yet  a  curate, 
in  a  fox-hunt;  dying  unmarried,  and,  so  far  as  is  generally 
known,  childless.  This  was  Sir  Wycherly's  favorite  brother ; 
who,  he  was  accustomed  to  say,  "lost  his  life,  in  setting  an 
example  of  field-sports  to  his  parishioners."  The  soldier 
was  fairly  killed  in  battle,  before  he  was  twenty;  and  the 
name  of  the  sailor  suddenly  disappeared  from  the  list  of 
His  Majesty's  lieutenants,  about  half  a  century  before  the 
time  when  our  tale  opens,  by  shipwreck.  Between  the  sailor 
and  the  head  of  the  family,  however,  there  had  been  no  great 
sympathy;  in  consequence,  as  it  was  rumored,  of  a  certain 
beauty's  preference  for  the  latter,  though  this  preference 


14  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

produced  no  suites^  inasmuch  as  the  lady  died  a  maid.  Mr. 
Gregory  Wychecombe,  the  lieutenant  in  question,  was  what 
is  termed  a  "  wild  boy" ;  and  it  was  the  general  impression, 
when  his  parents  sent  him  to  sea,  that  the  ocean  would  now 
meet  with  its  match.  The  hopes  of  the  family  centred  in 
the  judge,  after  the  death  of  the  curate,  and  it  was  a  great 
cause  of  regret,  to  those  who  took  an  interest  in  its  perpetu- 
ity and  renown,  that  this  dignitary  did  not  marry;  since  the 
premature  death  of  all  the  other  sons  had  left  the  hall,  park, 
and  goodly  farms  without  any  known  legal  heir.  In  a 
word,  this  branch  of  the  family  of  Wychecombe  would  be 
extinct,  when  Sir  Wycherly  died,  and  the  entail  become 
useless.  Not  a  female  inheritor,  even,  or  a  male  inheritor 
through  females,  could  be  traced;  and  it  had  become  im- 
perative on  Sir  Wycherly  to  make  a  will,  lest  the  property 
should  go  off,  the  Lord  knew  where ;  or,  what  was  worse,  it 
should  escheat.  It  is  true,  Tom  Wychecombe,  the  judge's 
eldest  son,  often  gave  dark  hints  about  a  secret  and  a  timely 
marriage  between  his  parents,  a  fact  that  would  have  super- 
seded the  necessity  for  all  devises,  as  the  property  was 
strictly  tied  up,  so  far  as  the  lineal  descendants  of  a  certain 
old  Sir  Wycherly  were  concerned;  but  the  present  Sir 
Wycherly  had  seen  his  brother,  in  his  last  illness,  on 
which  occasion  the  following  conversation  had  taken 
place. 

"And  now  brother  Thomas,"  said  the  baronet,  in  a 
friendly  and  consoling  manner,  "having,  as  one  may  say, 
prepared  your  soul  for  heaven,  by  these  prayers  and  admis- 
sions of  your  sins,  a  word  may  be  prudently  said  concern- 
ing the  affairs  of  this  world.  You  know  I  am  childless — 
that  is  to  say " 

"  I  understand  you,  Wycherly,"  interrupted  the  dying  man ; 
"  you're  a  bachelor^ 

"That's  it,  Thomas;  and  bachelors  ought  not  to  have 
children.  Had  our  poor  brother  James  escaped  that  mishap, 
he  might  have  been  sitting  at  your  bedside  at  this  moment, 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  1 5 

and  he  could  have  told  us  all  about  it.  St.  James  I  used  to 
call  him;  and  well  did  he  deserve  the  name!" 

"  St.  James  the  Least,  then,  it  must  have  been,  Wycherly." 

"  It's  a  dreadful  thing  to  have  no  heir,  Thomas !  Did  you 
ever  know  a  case  in  your  practice,  in  which  another  estate 
was  left  so  completely  without  an  heir,  as  this  of  ours?" 

"It  does  not  often  happen,  brother;  heirs  are  usually 
more  abundant  than  estates." 

"  So  I  thought.  Will  the  king  get  the  title  as  well  as  the 
estate,  brother,  if  it  should  escheat,  as  you  call  it?" 

"  Being  the  fountain  of  honor,  he  will  be  rather  indiffer- 
ent about  the  baronetcy." 

"I  should  care  less  if  it  went  to  the  next  sovereign,  who 
is  English  born.  Wychecombe  has  always  belonged  to 
Englishmen." 

^'That  it  has;  and  ever  will,  I  trust.  You  have  only  to 
select  an  heir,  when  I  am  gone,  and  by  making  a  will,  with 
proper  devises,  the  property  will  not  escheat.  Be  careful  to 
use  the  full  terms  of  perpetuity." 

"  Everything  was  so  comfortable,  brother,  while  you  were 
in  health,"  said  Sir  Wycherly,  fidgeting;  "you  were  my 
natural  heir " 

"  Heir  of  entail,"  interrupted  the  judge. 

"Well,  well,/^(?/>,  at  all  events;  and  M^/was  a  prodigious 
comfort  to  a  man  like  myself,  who  has  a  sort  of  religious 
scruples  about  making  a  will.  I  have  heard  it  whispered 
that  you  were  actually  married  to  Martha;  in  which  case, 
Tom  might  drop  into  our  shoes,  so  readily,  without  any  more 
signing  and  sealing." 

"  h^filius  nullius^^  returned  the  other,  too  conscientious  to 
lend  himself  to  a  deception  of  that  nature. 

"  Why,  brother,  Tom  often  seems  to  me  to  favor  such  an 
idea,  himself." 

"  No  wonder,^  Wycherly,  for  the  idea  would  greatly  favor 
him.  Tom  and  his  brothers  are  2\\Jilii  nullorum^  God  for- 
give me  for  that  same  wrong." 


l6  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"  I  wonder  neither  Charles  nor  Gregory  thought  of  marry- 
ing before  they  lost  their  lives  for  their  king  and  country," 
put  in  Sir  Wycherly,  in  an  upbraiding  tone,  as  if  he  thought 
his  penniless  brethren  had  done  him  an  injury  in  neglecting 
to  supply  him  with  an  heir,  though  he  had  been  so  forgetful 
himself  of  the  same  great  duty.  "  I  did  think  of  bringing 
in  a  bill  for  providing  heirs  for  unmarried  persons,  without 
the  trouble  and  responsibility  of  making  wills." 

"  That  would  have  been  a  great  improvement  on  the  law 
of  descents — I  hope  you  wouldn't  have  overlooked  the  an- 
cestors." 

"  Not  I — everybody  would  have  got  his  rights.  They  tell 
me  poor  Charles  never  spoke  after  he  was  shot ;  but  I  dare 
say,  did  we  know  the  truth,  he  regretted  sincerely  that  he 
never  married." 

"There,  for  c  ce,  Wycherly,  I  think  you  are  likely  to  be 
wrong.  KfeiJime  sole  without  food  is  rather  a  helpless  sort 
of  a  person." 

"  Well,  well,  I  wish  he  had  married.  What  would  it  have 
been  to  me,  had  he  left  a  dozen  widows .''" 

"  It  might  have  raised  some  awkward  questions  as  to 
dowry ;  and  if  each  left  a  son,  the  title  and  estates  would 
have  been  worse  off  than  they  are  at  present,  without  widows 
or  legitimate  children." 

"  Anything  would  be  better  than  having  no  heir.  I  be- 
lieve I'm  the  first  baronet  of  Wychecombe  who  has  been 
obliged  to  make  a  will!" 

"Quite  likely,"  returned  the  brother,  drily;  "I  remember 
to  have  got  nothing  from  the  last  one,  in  that  way.  Charles 
and  Gregory  fared  no  better.  Never  mind,  Wycherly,  you 
behaved  like  a  father  to  us  all." 

"I  don't  mind  signing  checks,  in  the  least;  but  wills 
have  an  irreligious  appearance,  in  my  eyes.  There  are  a 
good  many  Wychecombes  in  England;  I  wonder  some  of 
them  are  not  of  our  family!  They  tell  me  a  hundredth 
cousin  is  just  as  good  an  heir  as  a  first-born  son." 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  I7 

"  Failing  nearer  of  kin.  But  we  have  no  hundredth  cou- 
sins of  the  whole  blood.'''' 

"There  are  the  Wychecombes  of  Surrey,  brother 
Thomas ?" 

"  Descended  from  a  bastard  of  the  second  baronet,  and 
out  of  the  line  of  descent,  altogether." 

"  But  the  Wychecombes  of  Hertfordshire,  I  have  always 
heard,  were  of  our  family,  and  legitimate." 

"True,  as  regards  matrimony — rather  too  much  of  it,  by 
the  way.  They  branched  off  in  1487,  long  before  the  crea- 
tion, and  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  entail ;  the  first  of 
their  line  coming  from  old  Sir  Michael  Wychecombe,  Kt. 
and  Sheriff  of  Devonshire,  by  his  second  wife  Margery; 
while  we  are  derived  from  the  same  male  ancestor,  through 
Wycherly,  the  only  son  by  Joan,  the  first  wife.  Wycherly 
and  Michael,  the  son  of  Michael  and  Margery,  were  of  the 
half-blood,  as  respects  each  other,  and  could  not  be  heirs  of 
blood.  What  was  true  of  the  ancestors  is  true  of  the  de- 
scendants." 

"  But  we  came  of  the  same  ancestor,  and  the  estate  is  far 
older  than  1487." 

"Quite  true,  brother;  nevertheless,  the  half-blood  can't 
take;  so  says  the  perfection  of  human  reason." 

"I  never  could  understand  these  niceties  of  the  law," 
said  Sir  Wycherly,  sighing;  "but  I  suppose  they  are  all 
right.  There  are  so  many  Wychecombes  scattered  about 
England  that  I  should  think  some  one  among  them  all 
might  be  my  heir!" 

"  Every  man  of  them  bears  a  bar  in  his  arms,  or  is  of  the 
half-blood." 

"  You  are  quite  sure,  brother,  that  Tom  is  2,filius  7mllus  ?  " 
for  the  baronet  had  forgotten  most  of  the  little  Latin  he 
ever  knew,  and  translated  this  legal  phrase  into  "no  son." 

'''' Films  fiullius,  Sir  Wycherly,  the   son   of   nobody:  your 
reading  would  literally  make  Tom  nobody;  whereas,  he  is 
only  the  son  of  nobody." 
2 


1 8  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

*'  But,  brother,  he  is  your  son,  and  as  like  you  as  two 
hounds  of  the  same  litter." 

"  I  am  nullus,  in  the  eye  of  the  law,  as  regards  poor  Tom ; 
who,  until  he  marries  and  has  children  of  his  own,  is  alto- 
gether without  legal  kindred.  Nor  do  I  know  that  legiti- 
macy would  make  Tom  any  better;  for  he  is  presuming  and 
confident  enough  for  the  heir  apparent  to  the  throne,  as 
it  is." 

"Well,  there's  this  young  sailor,  who  has  been  so  mucii  at 
the  station  lately,  since  he  was  left  ashore  for  the  cure  of 
his  wounds.  'Tis  a  most  gallant  lad;  and  the  First  Lord 
has  sent  him  a  commission,  as  a  reward  for  his  good  con- 
duct, in  cutting  out  the  Frenchman.  I  look  upon  him  as  a 
credit  to  the  name ;  and  I  make  no  question  he  is,  some 
way  or  other,  of  our  family." 

"Does  he  claim  to  be  so?"  asked  the  judge,  a  little 
quickly,  for  he  distrusted  men  in  general,  and  thought,  from 
all  he  had  heard,  that  some  attempt  might  have  been  made 
to  practise  on  his  brother's  simplicity.  "  I  thought  you 
told  me  that  he  came  from  the  American  colonies?" 

"  So  he  does;  he's  a  native  of  Virginia,  as  was  his  father 
before  him." 

"  A  convict,  perhaps ;  or  a  servant,  quite  likely,  who  has 
found  the  name  of  his  former  master  more  to  his  liking 
than  his  own.  Such  things  are  common,  they  tell  me,  be- 
yond seas." 

"  Yes,  if  he  were  anything  but  an  American,  I  migHt  wish 
he  were  my  heir,"  returned  Sir  Wycherly,  in  a  melancholy 
tone ;  "  but  it  would  be  worse  than  to  let  the  lands  escheat, 
as  you  call  it,  to  place  an  American  in  possession  of  Wyche- 
combe.  The  manors  have  always  had  English  owners,  down 
to  the  present  moment,  thank  God!" 

"  Should  they  have  any  other,  it  will  be  your  own  fault, 
Wycherly.  When  I  am  dead,  and  that  will  happen  ere 
many  weeks,  the  human  being  will  not  be  living  who  can 
take  that  property,  after  your  demise,  in  any  other  manner 


THE  TWO   ADMIRALS.  I9 

than  by  escheat  or  by  devise.  There  will  then  be  neither 
heir  of  entail,  nor  heir  at  law;  and  you  may  make  whom 
you  please  master  of  Wychecombe,  provided  he  be  not  an 
alien." 

"Not  an  Am.erican,  I  suppose,  brother;  an  American  is 
an  alien,  of  course." 

*'  Humph! — why,  not  in  law,  whatever  he  may  be  accord- 
ing to  our  English  notions.  Harkee,  brother  Wycherly; 
I've  never  asked  you,  or  wished  you  to  leave  the  estate  to 
Tom,  or  his  younger  brothers;  for  one,  and  all,  zx^  Jilii  7iul- 
lorum — as  I  term  'em,  though  my  brother  Record  will  have 
it,  it  ought  to  h&jftlii  nullius^  as  well  z.^  filius  nulHus.  Let 
that  be  as  it  may ;  no  bastard  should  lord  it  at  Wychecombe ; 
and  rather  than  the  king  should  get  the  lands,  to  bestow  on 
some  favorite,  I  would  give  it  to  the  half-blood." 

"  Can  that  be  done  without  making  a  will,  brother 
Thomas?" 

"  It  cannot.  Sir  Wycherly;  nor  with  a  will,  so  long  as  an 
heir  of  entail  can  be  found." 

"  Is  there  no  way  of  making  Tom  2iJiUus  somebody^  so  that 
he  can  succeed?" 

"  Not  under  our  laws.  By  the  civil  law,  such  a  thing 
might  have  been  done,  and  by  the  Scotch  law;  but  not 
under  the  perfection  of  reason." 

"I  wish  you  knew  this  young  Virginian!  The  lad  bears 
both  of  my  names,  Wycherly  Wychecombe." 

"He  is  not  2.fiUus  Wycherly — is  he,  baronet?" 

"  Fie  upon  thee,  brother  Thomas !  Do  you  think  I  have 
less  candor  than  thyself,  that  I  would  not  acknowledge  my 
own  flesh  and  blood.  I  never  saw  the  youngster,  until 
within  the  last  six  months,  when  he  was  landed  from  the 
roadstead,  and  brought  to  Wychecombe,  to  be  cured  of  his 
wounds;  nor  ever  heard  of  him  before.  When  they  told  me 
his  name  was  Wycherly  Wychecombe,  I  could  do  no  less 
than  call  and  see  him.  The  poor  fellow  lay  at  death's  door 
for  a  fortnight;    and  it  was  while  we  had  little  or  no  hope 


20  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

of  saving  him  that  I  got  the  few  family  anecdotes  from 
him.  Now,  that  would  be  good  evidence  in  law,  I  believe, 
Thomas.'' 

"  For  certain  things,  had  the  lad  really  died.  Surviving, 
he  must  be  heard  on  his  voire  dire^  and  under  oath.  But 
what  was  his  tale?" 

"  A  very  short  one.  He  told  me  his  father  was  a  Wych- 
erly  Wychecombe,  and  that  his  grandfather  had  been  a  Vir- 
ginia planter.  This  was  all  he  seemed  to  know  of  his 
ancestry." 

"  And  probably  all  there  was  of  them.  My  Tom  is  not 
the  only  filius  nuUius  that  has  been  among  us,  and  this 
grandfather,  if  he  has  not  actually  stolen  the  name,  has  got 
it  by  these  doubtful  means.  As  for  the  Wycherly,  it  should 
pass  for  nothing.  Learning  that  there  is  a  line  of  baronets 
of  this  name,  every  pretender  to  the  family  would  be  apt  to 
call  a  son  Wycherly." 

"The  line  will  shortly  be  ended,  brother,"  returned  Sir 
Wycherly,  sighing.  "I  wish  you  might  be  mistaken;  and, 
after  all,  Tom  shouldn't  prove  to  be  \h2X  filius  you  call  him." 

Mr.  Baron  Wychecombe,  as  much  from  esprit  de  corps  as 
from  moral  principle,  was  a  man  of  strict  integrity,  in  all 
things  that  related  to  meum  and  tuiim.  He  was  particularly 
rigid  in  his  notions  concerning  the  transmission  of  real 
estate,  and  the  rights  of  primogeniture.  The  world  had 
taken  little  interest  in  the  private  history  of  a  lawyer,  and, 
his  sons  having  been  born  before  his  elevation  to  the  bench, 
he  passed  with  the  public  for  a  widower,  with  a  family  of 
promising  boys.  Not  one  in  a  hundred  of  his  acquaint- 
ances, even,  suspected  the  fact;  and  nothing  would  have 
been  easier  for  him  than  to  have  imposed  on  his  brother, 
by  inducing  him  to  make  a  will  under  some  legal  mystifica- 
tion or  other,  and  to  have  caused  Tom  Wychecombe  to  suc- 
ceed to  the  property  in  question,  by  an  indisputable  title. 
There  would  have  been  no  great  difficulty  even,  in  his  son's 
assuming  and  maintaining  his  right  to  the  baronetcy,  in- 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  21 

asmuch  as  there  would  be  no  competitor,  and  the  crown 
officers  were  not  particularly  rigid  in  inquiring  into  the 
claims  of  those  who  assumed  a  title  that  brought  with  it  no 
political  privileges.  Still,  he  was  far  from  indulging  in  any 
such  project.  To  him  it  appeared  that  the  Wychecombe 
estate  ought  to  go  with  the  principles  that  usually  governed 
such  matters;  and,  although  he  submitted  to  the  dictum  of 
the  common  law,  as  regarded  the  provision  which  excluded 
the  half-blood  from  inheriting,  with  the  deference  of  an 
English  common-law  lawyer,  he  saw  and  felt  that,  failing 
the  direct  line,  Wychecombe  ought  to  revert  to  the  descen- 
dants of  Sir  Michael  by  his  second  son,  for  the  plain  reason 
that  they  were  just  as  much  derived  from  the  person  who 
had  acquired  the  estate  as  his  brother  Wycherly  and  him- 
self. Had  there  been  descendants  of  females,  even,  to  in- 
terfere, no  such  opinion  would  have  existed;  but,  as  between 
an  escheat,  or  a  devise  in  favor  of  z.JiHus  niillius,  or  of  the 
descendant  of  2^filius  nidlius^  the  half-blood  possessed  every 
possible  advantage.  In  his  legal  eyes,  legitimacy  was  every- 
thing, although  he  had  not  hesitated  to  be  the  means  of 
bringing  into  the  world  seven  illegitimate  children,  that 
being  the  precise  number  Martha  had  the  credit  of  having 
borne  him,  though  three  only  survived.  After  reflecting  a 
moment,  therefore,  he  turned  to  the  baronet,  and  addressed 
him  more  seriously  than  he  had  yet  done,  in  the  present 
dialogue;  first  taking  a  draught  of  cordial  to  give  him 
strength  for  the  occasion. 

"  Listen  to  me,  brother  Wycherly,'^  said  the  judge,  with  a 
gravity  that  at  once  caught  the  attention  of  the  other.  "  You 
know  something  of  the  family  history,  and  I  need  do  no 
more  than  allude  to  it.  Our  ancestors  were  the  knightly 
possessors  of  Wychecombe,  centuries  before  King  James  es- 
tablished the  rank  of  baronet.  When  our  great-grandfather, 
Sir  Wycherly,  accepted  the  patent  of  1611,  he  scarcely  did 
himself  honor;  for,  by  aspiring  higher,  he  might  have  got 
a  peerage.     However,  a  baronet  he  became,  and,  for  the  first 


22  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

time  since  Wychecombe  was  Wychecombe,  the  estate  was 
entailed,  to  do  credit  to  the  new  rank.  Now,  the  first  Sir 
Wycherly  had  three  sons,  and  no  daughter.  Each  of  these 
sons  succeeded ;  the  two  eldest  as  bachelors,  and  the  young- 
est was  our  grandfather.  Sir  Thomas,  the  fourth  baronet, 
left  an  only  child,  Wycherly,  our  father.  Sir  Wycherly,  our 
father,  had  five  sons,  Wycherly,  his  successor,  yourself,  and 
the  sixth  baronet;  myself;  James;  Charles;  and  Gregory. 
James  broke  his  neck  at  your  side.  The  two  last  lost  their 
lives  in  the  king's  service,  unmarried,  and  neither  you  nor 
I  have  entered  into  the  holy  state  of  matrimony.  I  cannot 
survive  a  month,  and  e  hope  of  perpetuating  the  direct 
line  of  the  family  rests  with  yourself.  This  accounts  for 
all  the  descendants  of  Sir  Wycherly,  the  first  baronet;  and 
it  also  settles  the  question  of  heirs  of  entail,  of  whom  there 
are  none  after  myself.  To  go  back  beyond  the  time  of  King 
James  I. :  Twice  did  the  elder  lines  of  the  Wychecombes 
fail,  between  the  reign  of  King  Richard  II.  and  King 
Henry  VII.,  when  Sir  Michael  succeeded.  Now,  in  each 
of  these  cases,  the  law  disposed  of  the  succession;  the 
youngest  branches  of  the  family,  in  both  instances,  getting 
the  estate.  It  follows  that  agreeably  to  legal  decisions  had 
at  the  time,  when  the  facts  must  have  been  known,  that  the 
Wychecombes  were  reduced  to  these  younger  lines.  Sir 
Micahel  had  two  wives.  From  the  first  loe  are  derived — 
from  the  last,  the  Wychecombes  of  Hertfordshire — since 
known  as  baronets  of  that  county,  by  the  style  and  title  of 
Sir  Reginald  Wychecombe  of  Wychecombe-Regis,  Herts." 

"  The  present  Sir  Reginald  can  have  no  claim,  being  of 
the  half-blood,"  put  in  Sir  Wycherly,  with  a  brevity  of  man- 
ner that  denoted  feeling.  "  The  half-blood  is  as  bad  as  a 
nullius,  as  you  call  Tom." 

"  Not  quite.  A  person  of  the  half-blood  may  be  as  legiti- 
mate as  the  king's  majesty;  whereas,  a  nullius  is  of  no 
blood.  Now,  suppose  for  a  moment,  Sir  Wycherly,  that  you 
had  been  a  son  by  a  first  wife,  and  I  had  been  a  son  by  a 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  23 

second — would   there  have  been  no  relationship  between 
us?" 

"What  a  question,  Tom,  to  put  to  your  own  brother!" 

"But  I  should  not  be  your  own  brother,  my  good  sir; 
only  your  /^^//-brother ;  of  the  half,  ^nd  not  of  the  whole 
blood." 

"What  of  that — what  of  that? — your  father  would  have 
been  my  father — we  would  have  had  the  same  name — the 
same  family  history — the  same  family/^^//;z^i- — poh!  poh! 
— we  should  have  been  both  Wychecombes,  exactly  as  we 
are  to-day." 

"  Quite  true,  and  yet  I  could  not  have  been  your  heir,  nor 
you  mine.  The  estate  would  escheat  to  the  king,  Hano- 
verian or  Scotchman,  before  it  came  to  me.  Indeed,  to  7?ie 
it  could  never  come." 

"Thomas,  you  are  trifling  with  my  ignorance,  and  mak- 
ing matters  worse  than  they  really  are.  Certainly,  as  long 
as  you  lived,  you  would  be  my  heir!" 

"Very  true,  as  to  the  /^2o,ooo  in  the  funds,  but  not  as  to 
the  baronetcy  and  Wychecombe.  So  far  as  the  two  last  are 
concerned,  I  am  heir  of  blood,  and  of  entail,  of  the  body  of 
Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe,  the  first  baronet,  and  the  maker 
of  the  entail." 

"  Had  there  been  no  entail,  and  had  I  died  a  child,  who 
would  have  succeeded  our  father,  supposing  there  had  been 
two  mothers?" 

"  I,  as  the  next  surviving  son." 

"There! — I  knew  it  must  be  so!"  exclaimed  Sir  Wych- 
erly, in  triumph;  "and  all  this  time  you  have  been  joking 
with  me!" 

"  Not  so  fast,  brother  of  mine — not  so  fast.  I  should  be 
of  the  whole  blood,  as  respected  our  father,  and  all  the 
Wychecombes  that  have  gone  before  him;  but  of  the  half- 
blood,  as  respected  you.  From  our  father  I  might  have 
taken,  as  his  heir-at-law:  but  from  you,  never,  having  been 
of  the  hal/-h\ood.^^ 


24  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"  I  would  have  made  a  will,  in  that  case,  Thomas,  and 
left  you  every  farthing,"  said  Sir  Wycherly,  with  feeling. 

"  That  is  just  what  I  wish  you  to  do  with  Sir  Reginald 
Wychecombe.  You  must  take  him;  2i Jtlius  fiulHus,  in  t\iQ 
person  of  my  son  Tom ;  a  stranger ;  or  let  the  property  es- 
cheat; for  we  are  so  peculiarly  placed  as  not  to  have  a 
known  relative,  by  either  the  male  or  female  lines;  the 
maternal  ancestors  being  just  as  barren  of  heirs  as  the 
paternal.  Our  good  mother  was  the  natural  daughter  of  the 
third  Earl  of  Prolific;  our  grandmother  was  the  last  of  her 
race,  so  far  as  human  ken  can  discover;  our  great-grand- 
mother is  said  to  have  had  semi -royal  blood  in  her  veins, 
without  the  aid  of  the  church,  and  beyond  that  it  would  be 
hopeless  to  attempt  tracing  consanguinity  on  that  side  of 
the  house.  No,  Wycherly;  it  is  Sir  Reginald  who  has  the 
best  right  to  the  land;  Tom,  or  one  of  his  brothers,  an  utter 
stranger,  or  His  Majesty,  follow.  Remember  that  estates 
of  ^4,000  a  year  don't  often  escheat,  now-a-days." 

"If  you'll  draw  up  a  will,  brother,  I'll  leave  it  all  to 
Tom,"  cried  the  baronet,  with  sudden  energy.  "  Nothing 
need  be  said  about  the  nidliiis ;  and  when  I'm  gone  he'll 
step  quietly  into  my  place." 

Nature  triumphed  a  moment  in  the  bosom  of  the  father; 
but  habit,  and  the  stern  sense  cf  right,  soon  overcame  the 
feeling.  Perhaps  certain  doubts,  and  a  knowledge  of  his 
son's  real  character,  contributed  their  share  towards  the 
reply. 

"  It  ought  not  to  be.  Sir  Wycherly,"  returned  the  judge, 
musing;  "Tom  has  no  right  to  Wychecombe,  and  Sir  Regi- 
nald has  the  best  moral  right  possible,  though  the  law  cuts 
him  off.  Had  Sir  Michael  made  the  entail,  instead  of  our 
great-grandfather,  he  would  have  come  in,  as  a  matter  of 
course." 

"  I  never  liked  Sir  Reginald  Wychecombe,"  said  the 
baronet,  stubbornly. 

"What  of  that? — He  will  not  trouble  you  while  living, 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  25 

and  when  dead  it  will  be  all  the  same.  Come — come — I 
will  draw  the  will  myself,  leaving  blanks  for  the  name;  and 
when  it  is  once  done,  you  will  sign  it,  cheerfully.  It  is  the 
last  legal  act  I  shall  ever  perform,  and  it  will  be  a  suitable 
one,  death  being  constantly  before  me." 

This  ended  the  dialogue.  The  will  was  drawn  according 
to  promise;  Sir  Wycherly  took  it  to  his  room  to  read,  care- 
fully inserted  the  name  of  Tom  Wychecombe  in  all  the  blank 
spaces,  brought  it  back,  duly  executed  the  instrument  in  his 
brother's  presence,  and  then  gave  the  paper  to  his  nephew 
to  preserve,  with  a  strong  injunction  on  him  to  keep  the 
secret,  until  the  instrument  should  have  force  by  his  own 
death.  Mr.  Baron  Wychecombe  died  in  six  weeks,  and  the 
baronet  returned  to  his  residence,  a  sincere  mourner  for  the 
loss  of  an  only  brother.  A  more  unfortunate  selection  of 
an  heir  could  not  have  been  made,  as  Tom  Wychecombe 
was,  in  reality,  the  son  of  a  barrister  in  the  Temple;  the 
fancied  likeness  to  the  reputed  father  existing  only  in  the 
imagination  of  his  credulous  uncle. 


CHAPTER   II. 

— —  "  How  fearful 
And  dizzy  'tis,  to  cast  one's  eyes  so  low  ! 
The  crows,  and  choughs,  that  wing  the  midway  air, 
Show  scarce  so  gross  as  beetles  I     Half-way  down 
Hangs  one  that  gathers  samphire  !  dreadful  trade  ! " 

King  Lear, 

This  digression  on  the  family  of  Wychecombe  has  led  us 
far  from  the  signal-station,  the  headland,  and  the  fog,  with 
which  the  tale  opened.  The  little  dwelling  connected  with 
the  station  stood  at  a  short  distance  from  the  staff,  sheltered, 
by  the  formation  of  the  ground,  from  the  bleak  winds  of  the 
channel,  and  fairly  embowered  in  shrubs  and  flowers.  It 
was  a  humble  cottage,  that  had  been  ornamented  with  more 
taste  than  was  usual  in  England  at  that  day.     Its  whitened 


26  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

walls,  thatched  roof,  picketed  garden,  and  trellised  porch, 
bespoke  care,  and  a  mental  improvement  in  the  inmates, 
that  were  scarcely  to  be  expected  in  persons  so  humbly  em- 
ployed as  the  keeper  of  the  signal-staff,  and  his  family.  All 
near  the  house,  too,  was  in  the  same  excellent  condition; 
for  while  the  headland  itself  lay  in  common,  this  portion  of 
it  was  enclosed  in  two  or  three  pretty  little  fields,  that  were 
grazed  by  a  single  horse  and  a  couple  of  cows.  There 
were  no  hedges,  however,  the  thorn  not  growing  willingly 
in  a  situation  so  exposed;  but  the  fields  were  divided  by 
fences,  neatly  enough  made  of  wood,  that  declared  its  own 
origin,  having  in  fact  been  part  of  the  timbers  and  planks 
of  a  wreck.  As  the  whole  was  whitewashed,  it  had  a  rustic 
and,  in  a  climate  where  the  sun  is  seldom  oppressive,  by  no 
means  a  disagreeable  appearance. 

The  scene  with  which  we  desire  to  commence  the  tale, 
opens  about  seven  o'clock  on  a  July  morning.  On  a  bench 
at  the  foot  of  the  signal-staff  was  seated  one  of  a  frame  that 
was  naturally  large  and  robust,  but  which  was  sensibly  be- 
ginning to  give  way,  either  by  age  or  disease.  A  glance  at 
the  red,  bloated  face  would  suffice  to  tell  a  medical  man 
that  the  habits  had  more  to  do  with  the  growing  failure  of 
the  system  than  any  natural  derangement  of  the  physical 
organs.  The  face  too,  was  singularly  manly  and  had  once 
been  handsome,  even;  nay,  it  was  not  altogether  without 
claims  to  be  so  considered  still;  though  intemperance  was 
making  sad  inroads  on  its  comeliness.  This  person  was 
about  fifty  years  old,  and  his  air,  as  well  as  his  attire,  de- 
noted a  mariner;  not  a  common  seaman,  nor  yet  altogether 
an  officer;  but  one  of  those  of  a  middle  station,  who  in 
navies  used  to  form  a  class  by  themselves;  being  of  a  rank 
that  entitled  them  to  the  honors  of  the  quarter-deck,  though 
out  of  the  regular  line  of  promotion.  In  a  word,  he  wore 
the  unpretending  uniform  of  a  master.  A  century  ago,  the 
dress  of  the  English  naval  officer  was  exceedingly  simple, 
though  more  appropriate  to  the  profession,  perhaps,  than  the 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  2^ 

more  showy  attire  that  has  since  been  introduced.  Epau- 
lettes were  not  used  by  any,  and  the  anchor  button,  with  the 
tint  that  is  called  navy  blue,  an  '  which  is  meant  to  repre- 
sent the  deep  hue  of  the  ocean,  with  white  facings,  composed 
the  principal  peculiarities  of  the  dress.  The  person  intro- 
duced to  the  reader,  whose  name  was  Button,  and  who  was 
simply  the  officer  in  charge  of  the  signal-station,  had  a  cer- 
tain neatness  about  his  well-worn  uniform,  his  linen,  and 
all  of  his  attire,  which  showed  that  some  person  more  inter- 
ested in  such  matters  than  one  of  his  habits  was  likely  to 
be  had  the  care  of  his  wardrobe.  In  this  respect,  indeed, 
his  appearance  was  unexceptionable ;  and  there  was  an  air 
about  the  whole  man  which  showed  that  nature,  if  not  edu- 
cation, had  intended  him  for  something  far  better  than  the 
being  he  actually  was. 

Dutton  was  waiting,  at  that  early  hour,  to  ascertain,  as 
the  veil  of  mist  was  raised  from  the  face  of  the  sea,  whether 
a  sail  might  be  in  sight,  that  required  of  him  the  execution 
of  any  of  his  simple  functions.  That  some  one  was  near 
by,  on  the  headland,  too,  was  quite  evident,  by  the  occa- 
sional interchange  of  speech ;  though  no  person  but  himself 
was  visible.  The  direction  of  the  sounds  would  seem  to 
indicate  that  a  man  was  actually  over  the  brow  of  the  cliff, 
perhaps  a  hundred, feet  removed  from  the  seat  occupied  by 
the  master. 

"  Recollect  the  sailor's  maxim,  Mr.  Wychecombe,"  called 
out  Dutton,  in  a  warning  voice ;  "  one  hand  for  the  king, 
and  the  other  for  self!  Those  cliffs  are  ticklish  places; 
and  really  it  does  seem  a  little  unnatural  that  a  seafaring 
person  like  yourself  should  have  so  great  a  passion  for 
flowers  as  to  risk  his  neck  in  order  to  make  a  posy!" 

"  Never  fear  for  me,  Mr.  Dutton,"  answered  a  full,  manly 
voice,  that  one  could  have  sworn  issued  from  the  chest  of 
youth;  "never  fear  for  me;  we  sailors  are  used  to  hanging 
in  the  air." 

"  Ay,  with  good  three-stranded  ropes  to  hold  on  by,  young 


28  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

gentleman.  Now  His  Majesty's  government  has  just  made 
you  an  officer,  there  is  a  sort  Of  obligation  to  take  care  of 
your  life,  in  order  that  it  may  be  used,  and,  at  need,  given 
away,  in  his  service." 

"Quite  true — quite  true,  Mr.  Button — so  true,  I  wonder 
you  think  it  necessary  to  remind  me  of  it.  I  am  very  grate- 
ful to  His  Majesty's  government,  and " 

While  speaking,  the  voice  seemed  to  descend,  getting  at 
each  instant  less  and  less  distinct,  until,  in  the  end,  it  be- 
came quite  inaudible.  Button  looked  uneasy,  for  at  that 
instant  a  noise  was  heard,  and  then  it  was  quite  clear  some 
heavy  object  was  falling  down  the  face  of  the  cliff.  Now 
it  was  that  the  mariner  felt  the  want  of  good  nerves,  and 
experienced  the  sense  of  humiliation  which  accompanied 
the  consciousness  of  having  destroyed  them  by  his  excesses. 
He  trembled  in  every  limb,  and,  for  the  moment,  was  ac- 
tually unable  to  rise.  A  light  step  at  his  side,  however, 
drew  a  glance  in  that  direction,  and  his  eye  fell  on  the  form 
of  a  lovely  girl  of  nineteen,  his  own  daughter,  Mildred. 

"  I  heard  you  calling  to  some  one,  father,"  said  the  latter, 
looking  wistfully  but  distrustfully  at  her  parent,  as  if  won- 
dering at  his  yielding  to  his  infirmity  so  early  in  the  day; 
"can  I  be  of  service  to  you?" 

"Poor  Wychecombe!"  exclaimed  Button.  "He  went 
over  the  cliff  in  search  of  a  nosegay  to  offer  to  yourself, 
and — and — I  fear — greatly  fear " 

"  What,  father?"  demanded  Mildred,  in  a  voice  of  hor- 
ror, the  rich  color  disappearing  from  a  face  which  it  left  of 
the  hue  of  death.     "  No — no — no — he  can7iot  have  fallen." 

Button  bent  his  head  down,  drew  a  long  breath,  and  then 
seemed  to  gain  more  command  of  his  nerves.  He  was  about 
to  rise,  when  the  sound  of  a  horse's  feet  was  heard,  and  then 
Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe,  mounted  on  a  quiet  pony,  rode 
slowly  up  to  the  signal-staff.  It  was  a  common  thing  for 
the  baronet  to  appear  on  the  cliffs  early  in  the  morning,  but 
it  was  not  usual  for  him  to  come  unattended.     The  instant 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  2g 

her  eyes  fell  on  the  fine  form  of  the  venerable  old  man,  Mil- 
dred, who  seemed  to  know  him  well,  and  to  use  the  famil- 
iarity of  one  confident  of  being  a  favorite,  exclaimed : 

"Oh!    Sir  Wycherly,  how  fortunate — where  is  Richard?" 

"Good  morrow,  my  pretty  Milly,"  answered  the  baronet 
cheerfully ;  "  fortunate  or  not,  here  I  am,  and  not  a  bit  flat- 
tered that  your  first  question  should  be  after  the  groom, 
instead  of  his  master.  I  have  sent  Dick  on  a  message  to 
the  vicar's.  Now  my  poor  brother,  the  judge,  is  dead  and 
gone,  I  find  Mr.  Rotherham  more  and  more  necessary  to 
me." 

"  Oh !  dear  Sir  Wycherly — Mr.  Wychecombe — Lieutenant 
Wychecombe,  I  mean — the  young  officer  from  Virginia — he 
who  was  so  desperately  wounded— in  whose  recovery  we  all 
took  so  deep  an  interest " 

"Well — what  of  him,  child? — you  surely  do  not  mean 
to  put  him  on  a  level  with  Mr.  Rotherham,  in  the  way  of 
religious  consolation — and,  as  for  anything  else,  there  is  no 
consanguinity  between  the  Wychecombes  of  Virginia  and 
my  family.  He  may  be  2ifilius  nullius  of  the  Wychecombes 
of  Wychecombe-Regis,  Herts,  but  has  no  connection  with 
those  of  Wychecombe-Hall,  Devonshire." 

" There— there— the  cliff!— the  cliff!"  added  Mildred, 
unable,  for  the  moment,  to  be  more  explicit. 

As  the  girl  pointed  towards  the  precipice,  and  looked  the 
very  image  of  horror,  the  good-hearted  old  baronet  began  to 
get  some  glimpses  of  the  truth ;  and,  by  means  of  a  few 
words  with  Dutton,  soon  knew  quite  as  much  as  his  two 
companions.  Descending  from  his  pony  with  surprising 
activity  for  one  of  his  years,  Sir  Wycherly  was  soon  on  his 
feet,  and  a  sort  of  confused  consultation  between  the  three 
succeeded.  Neither  liked  to  approach  the  cliff,  which  was 
nearly  perpendicular  at  the  extremity  of  the  headland,  and 
was  always  a  trial  to  the  nerves  of  those  who  shrunk  from 
standing  on  the  verge  of  precipices.  They  stood  like  per- 
sons paralyzed,  until  Dutton,  ashamed  of  his  weakness,  and 


30  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

recalling  the  thousand  lessons  in  coolness  and  courage  he 
had  received  in  his  own  manly  profession,  made  a  move- 
ment toward  advancing  to  the  edge  of  the  cliff,  in  order  to 
ascertain  the  real  state  of  the  case.  The  blood  returned  to 
the  cheeks  of  Mildred,  too,  and  she  again  found  a  portion 
of  her  natural  spirit  raising  her  courage. 

"Stop,  father,"  she  said  hastily;  "you  are  infirm  and 
are  in  a  tremor  at  this  moment.  My  head  is  steadier — let 
me  go  to  the  verge  of  the  hill,  and  learn  what  has  happened." 

This  was  uttered  with  a  forced  calmness  that  deceived 
her  auditors,  both  of  whom,  the  one  from  age,  and  the  other 
from  shattered  nerves,  were  certainly  in  no  condition  to  as- 
sume the  same  office.  It  required  the  all-seeing  eye,  which 
alone  can  scan  the  heart,  to  read  all  the  agonized  suspense 
with  which  that  young  and  beautiful  creature  approached 
the  spot  where  she  might  command  a  view  of  the  whole  of 
the  side  of  the  fearful  declivity,  from  its  giddy  summit  to 
the  base,  where  it  was  washed  by  the  sea.  The  latter,  in- 
deed, could  not  literally  be  seen  from  above,  the  waves 
having  so  far  undermined  the  cliff  as  to  leave  a  projection 
that  concealed  the  point  where  the  rocks  and  the  water  came 
absolutely  in  contact;  the  upper  portion  of  the  weather- 
worn rocks  falling  a  little  inwards,  so  as  to  leave  a  ragged 
surface  that  was  sufficiently  broken  to  contain  patches  of 
earth,  and  verdure,  sprinkled  with  the  flowers  peculiar  to 
such  an  exposure.  The  fog,  also,  intercepted  the  sight,  giv- 
ing to  the  descent  the  appearance  of  a  fathomless  abyss. 
Had  the  life  of  the  most  indifferent  person  been  in  jeop- 
ardy, under  the  circumstances  named,  Mildred  would  have 
been  filled  with  deep  awe;  but  a  gush  of  tender  sensations, 
which  had  hitherto  been  pent  up  in  the  sacred  privacy  of 
her  virgin  affections,  struggled  with  natural  horror,  as  she 
trod  lightly  on  the  very  verge  of  the  declivity,  and  cast  a 
timid  but  eager  glance  beneath.  Then  she  recoiled  a  step, 
raised  her  hands  in  alarm,  and  hid  her  face  as  if  to  shut 
out  some  frightful  spectacle. 


THE  TWO  ADMIRALS.  3 1 

By  this  time,  Button's  practical  knowledge  and  recollec 
don  had  returned.  As  is  common  with  seamen,  whose 
minds  contain  vivid  pictures  of  the  intricate  tracery  of  their 
vessel's  rigging  in  the  darkest  nights,  his  thoughts  had 
flashed  athwart  all  the  probable  circumstances,  and  pre- 
sented a  just  image  of  the  facts. 

"  The  boy  could  not  be  seen  had  he  absolutely  fallen,  and 
were  there  no  fog;  for  the  cliff  tumbles  home.  Sir  Wych- 
erly,"  he  said  eagerly,  unconsciously  using  a  familiar  nau- 
tical phrase  to  express  his  meaning.  "  He  must  be  clinging 
to  the  side  of  the  precipice,  and  that,  too,  above  the  swell 
of  the  rocks." 

Stimulated  by  a  common  feeling,  the  two  men  now  ad- 
vanced hastily  to  the  brow  of  the  hill,  and  there,  indeed,  as 
with  Mildred  herself,  a  single  look  sufficed  to  tell  them  the 
whole  truth.  Young  Wychecombe,  in  leaning  forward  to 
pluck  a  flower,  had  pressed  so  hard  upon  the  bit  of  rock  on 
which  a  foot  rested,  as  to  cause  it  to  break,  thereby  losing 
his  balance.  A  presence  of  mind  that  amounted  almost  to 
inspiration,  and  a  high  resolution,  alone  saved  him  from 
being  dashed  to  pieces.  Perceiving  the  rock  to  give  way, 
he  threw  himself  forward,  and  alighted  on  a  narrow  shelf,  a 
few  feet  beneath  the  place  where  he  had  just  stood,  and  at 
least  ten  feet  removed  from  it,  laterally.  The  shelf  on 
which  he  alighted  was  ragged,  and  but  two  or  three  feet 
wide.  It  would  have  afforded  only  a  check  to  his  fall,  had 
there  not  fortunately  been  some  shrubs  among  the  rocks 
above  it.  By  these  shrubs  the  young  man  caught,  actually 
swinging  off  in  the  air,  under  the  impetus  of  his  leap.  Hap- 
pily, the  shrubs  were  too  well  rooted  to  give  way;  and, 
swinging  himself  round,  with  the  address  of  a  sailor,  the 
youthful  lieutenant  was  immediately  on  his  feet,  in  compar- 
ative safety.  The  silence  that  succeeded  was  the  conse- 
quence of  the  shock  he  felt,  in  finding  him  so  suddenly 
thrown  into  this  perilous  situation.  The  summit  of  the  cliff 
was  now  about  six  fathoms  above  his  head,  and  the  shelf 


32  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

on  which  he  stood  impended  over  a  portion  of  the  cliff 
that  was  absolutely  perpendicular,  and  which  might  be 
said  to  be  out  of  the  line  of  those  projections  along  which 
he  had  so  lately  been  idly  gathering  flowers.  It  was  physi- 
cally impossible  for  any  human  being  to  extricate  himself 
from  such  a  situation,  without  assistance.  This  Wyche- 
combe  understood  at  a  glance,  and  he  had  passed  the  few 
minutes  that  intervened  between  his  fall  and  the  appearance 
of  the  party  above  him  in  devising  the  means  necessary  to 
his  liberation.  As  it  was,  few  men,  unaccustomed  to  the 
giddy  elevations  of  the  mast,  could  have  mustered  a  suffi- 
cient command  of  nerve  to  maintain  a  position  on  the  ledge 
where  he  stood.  Even  he  could  not  have  continued  there, 
without  steadying  his  form  by  the  aid  of  the  bushes. 

As  soon  as  the  baronet  and  Dutton  got  a  glimpse  of  the 
perilous  position  of  young  Wychecombe,  each  recoiled  in 
horror  from  the  sight,  as  if  fearful  of  being  precipitated  on 
top  of  him.  Both  then  actually  lay  down  on  the  grass,  and 
approached  the  edge  of  the  cliff  again,  in  that  humble  atti- 
tude, even  trembling  as  they  lay  at  length,  with  their  chins 
projecting  over  the  rocks,  staring  downward  at  the  victim. 
The  young  man  could  see  nothing  of  all  this;  for,  as  he 
stood  with  his  back  against  the  cliff,  he  had  not  room  to 
turn,  with  safety,  or  even  to  look  upwards.  Mildred,  how- 
ever, seemed  to  lose  all  sense  of  self  and  of  danger,  in  view 
of  the  extremity  in  which  the  youth  beneath  was  placed. 
She  stood  on  the  very  verge  of  the  precipice,  and  looked 
down  with  steadiness  and  impunity  that  would  have  been 
utterly  impossible  for  her  to  attain  under  less  exciting 
circumstances;  even  allowing  the  young  man  to  catch  a 
glimpse  of  her  rich  locks,  as  they  hung  about  her  beautiful 
face. 

"For  God's  sake,  Mildred,"  called  out  the  youth,  "keep 
further  from  the  cliff — I  see  you,  and  we  can  now  hear  each 
other  without  so  much  risk." 

"What  can  we  do  to  rescue  you,  Wychecombe?"    eagerly 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  33 

asked  the  girl.  "Tell  me,  I  entreat  you;  for  Sir  Wycherly 
and  my  father  are  both  unnerved!" 

"Blessed  creature!  and  you  are  mindful  of  my  danger! 
But,  be  not  uneasy,  Mildred ;  do  as  I  tell  you,  and  all  will 
yet  be  well.  I  hope  you  hear  and  understand  what  I  say, 
dearest  girl?" 

"  Perfectly,"  returned  Mildred,  nearly  choked  by  the  effort 
to  be  calm.     "  I  hear  every  syllable — speak  on." 

"  Go  you  then  to  the  signal -halyards — let  one  end  fly  loose, 
and  pull  upon  the  other,  until  the  whole  line  has  come  down 
— when  that  is  done,  return  here,  and  I  will  tell  you  more 
— but,  for  heaven's  sake,  keep  farther  from  the  cliff." 

The  thought  that  the  rope,  small  and  frail  as  it  seemed, 
might  be  of  use,  flashed  on  the  brain  of  the  girl ;  and  in  a 
moment  she  was  at  the  staff.  Time  and  again,  when  liquor 
incapacitated  her  father  to  perform  his  duty,  had  Mildred 
bent  on,  and  hoisted  the  signals  for  him ;  and  thus,  hap- 
pily, she  was  expert  in  the  use  of  the  halyards.  In  a  min- 
ute she  had  unrove  them,  and  the  long  line  lay  in  a  little 
pile  at  her  feet. 

"  'Tis  done,  Wycherly,"  she  said,  again  looking  over  the 
cliff;  "shall  I  throw  you  down  one  end  of  the  rope? — but, 
alas!  I  have  not  strength  to  raise  you;  and  Sir  Wycherly 
and  father  seem  unable  to  assist  me!" 

"  Do  not  hurry  yourself,  Mildred,  and  all  will  be  well. 
Go,  and  put  one  end  of  the  line  around  the  signal-staff,  then 
put  the  two  ends  together,  tie  them  in  a  knot,  and  drop  them 
down  over  my  head.  Be  careful  not  to  come  too  near  the 
cliff,  for " 

The  last  injunction  was  useless,  Mildred  having  flown  to 
execute  her  commission.  Her  quick  mind  readily  compre- 
hended what  was  expected  of  her,  and  her  nimble  fingers 
soon  performed  their  task.  Tying  a  knot  in  the  ends  of  the 
line,  she  did  as  desired,  and  the  small  rope  was  soon  dan- 
gling within  reach  of  Wychecombe's  arm.  It  is  not  easy  to 
make  a  landsman  understand  the  confidence  which  a  sailor 
3 


34  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

feels  in  a  rope.  Place  but  a  frail  and  rotten  piece  of  twisted 
hemp  in  his  hand,  and  he  will  risk  his  person  in  situations 
from  which  he  would  otherwise  recoil  in  dread.  Accus- 
tomed to  hang  suspended  in  the  air,  with  ropes  only  for  his 
foothold,  or  with  ropes  to  grasp  with  his  hand,  his  eye  gets 
an  intuitive  knowledge  of  what  will  sustain  him,  and  he 
unhesitatingly  trusts  his  person  to  a  few  seemingly  slight 
strands,  that,  to  one  unpractised,  appear  wholly  unworthy  of 
his  confidence.  Signal-halyards  are  ropes  smaller  than  the 
little  finger  of  a  man  of  any  size;  but  they  are  usually  made 
with  care,  and  every  rope-yarn  tells.  Wychecombe,  too,  was 
aware  that  these  particular  halyards  were  new,  for  he  had 
assisted  in  reeving  them  himself,  only  the  week  before.  It 
was  owing  to  this  circumstance  that  they  were  long  enough 
to  reach  him;  a  large  allowance  for  wear  and  tear  having 
been  made  in  cutting  them  from  the  coil.  As  it  was,  the 
ends  dropped  some  twenty  feet  below  the  ledge  on  which 
he  stood. 

"All  safe,  now,  Mildred!"  cried  the  young  man,  in  a 
voice  of  exultation  the  moment  his  hand  caught  the  two 
ends  of  the  line,  which  he  immediately  passed  around  his 
body,  beneath  the  arms,  as  a  precaution  against  accidents. 
"  All  safe,  now,  dearest  girl ;  have  no  further  concern  about 
me." 

Mildred  drew  back,  for  worlds  could  not  have  tempted  her 
to  witness  the  desperate  effort  that  she  knew  must  follow. 
By  this  time.  Sir  Wycherly,  who  had  been  an  interested  wit- 
ness of  all  that  passed,  found  his  voice,  and  assumed  the 
office  of  director. 

"  Stop,  my  young  namesake,"  he  eagerly  cried,  when  he 
found  that  the  sailor  was  about  to  make  an  effort  to  drag  his 
own  body  up  the  cliff;  "stop;  that  will  never  do;  let  But- 
ton and  me  do  that  much  for  you,  at  least.  We  have  seen 
all  that  has  passed,  and  are  now  able  to  do  something." 

"No — no.  Sir  Wycherly — on  no  account  touch  the  hal- 
yards.    By  hauling  them  over  the  top  of  the  rocks  you  will 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  35 

probably  cut  them,  or  part  them,  and  then  I'm  lost,  without 
hope!" 

"Oh!  Sir  Wycherly,"  said  Mildred  earnestly,  clasping 
her  hands  together,  as  if  to  enforce  the  request  with  prayer; 
"do  not — do  not  touch  the  line." 

"We  had  better  let  the  lad  manage  thematter  in  his  own 
way,"  put  in  Button ;  "  he  is  active,  resolute,  and  a  seaman, 
and  will  do  better  for  himself  than  I  fear  we  can  do  for  him. 
He  has  got  a  turn  round  his  body,  and  is  tolerably  safe 
against  any  slip  or  mishap." 

As  the  words  were  muttered,  the  whole  three  drew  back  a 
short  distance  and  watched  the  result,  in  intense  anxiety. 
Button,  however,  so  far  recollected  himself  as  to  take  an 
end  of  the  old  halyards,  which  were  kept  in  a  chest  at  the 
foot  of  the  staff,  and  to  make  an  attempt  to  stopper  together 
the  two  parts  of  the  little  rope  on  which  the  youth  depended, 
for  should  one  of  the  parts  of  it  break,  without  this  precau- 
tion, there  was  nothing  to  prevent  the  halyards  from  running 
round  the  staff,  and  destroying  the  hold.  The  size  of  the 
halyards  rendered  this  expedient  very  difficult  of  attainment, 
but  enough  was  done  to  give  the  arrangement  a  little  more 
of  the  air  of  security.  All  this  time  young  Wychecombe 
was  making  his  own  preparations  on  the  ledge,  and  quite 
out  of  view ;  but  the  tension  on  the  halyards  soon  announced 
that  his  weight  was  now  pendent  from  them.  Mildred's 
heart  seemed  ready  to  leap  from  her  mouth,  as  she  noted 
each  jerk  on  the  lines ;  and  her  father  watched  every  new  pull, 
as  if  he  expected  the  next  moment  would  produce  the  final 
catastrophe.  It  required  a  prodigious  effort  in  the  young 
man  to  raise  his  own  weight  for  such  a  distance,  by  lines  so 
small.  Had  the  rope  been  of  any  size,  the  achievement 
would  have  been  trifling  for  one  of  the  frame  and  habits  of 
the  sailor,  more  especially  as  he  could  slightly  avail  himself 
of  his  feet,  by  pressing  them  against  the  rocks;  but,  as  it 
was,  he  felt  as  if  he  were  dragging  the  mountain  up  after  him. 
At  length,  his  head  appeared  a  few  inches  above  the  rocks, 


36  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

but  with  his  feet  pressed  against  the  cliff,  and  his  body  in- 
clining outward,  at  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees. 

"  Help  him — help  him,  father !"  exclaimed  Mildred,  cover- 
ing her  face  with  her  hands,  to  exclude  the  sight  of  Wyche- 
combe's  desperate  struggles.  "  If  he  fall  now,  he  will  be 
destroyed.     Oh,  save  him,  save  him.  Sir  Wycherly!" 

But  neither  of  those  to  whom  she  appealed  could  be  of 
any  use.  The  nervous  trembling  again  came  over  the  father ; 
and  as  for  the  baronet,  age  and  inexperience  rendered  him 
helpless. 

"  Have  you  no  rope,  Mr.  Dutton,  to  throw  over  my  shoul- 
ders," cried  Wychecombe,  suspending  his  exertions  in  pure 
exhaustion,  still  keeping  all  he  had  gained,  with  his  head 
projecting  outward,  over  the  abyss  beneath,  and  his  face 
turned  towards  heaven.  "  Throw  a  rope  over  my  shoulders, 
and  drag  my  body  in  to  the  cliff." 

Dutton  showed  an  eager  desire  to  comply,  but  his  nerves 
had  not  yet  been  excited  by  the  usual  potations,  and  his 
hands  shook  in  a  way  to  render  it  questionable  whether  he 
could  perform  even  this  simple  service.  But  for  his  daugh- 
ter, indeed,  he  would  hardly  have  set  about  it  intelligently. 
Mildred,  accustomed  to  using  the  signal-halyards,  procured 
the  old  line,  and  handed  it  to  her  father,  who  discovered 
some  of  his  professional  knowledge  in  his  manner  of  using 
it.  Doubling  the  halyards  twice,  he  threw  the  bight  over 
Wychecombe's  shoulders,  and,  aided  by  Mildred,  endeav- 
ored to  draw  the  body  of  the  young  man  upwards  and  tow- 
ard the  cliff.  But  their  united  strength  was  unequal  to 
the  task,  and  wearied  with  holding  on,  and,  indeed,  unable 
to  support  his  own  weight  any  longer  by  so  small  a  rope, 
Wychecombe  felt  compelled  to  suffer  his  feet  to  drop  be- 
neath him,  and  slid  down  again  upon  the  ledge.  Here,  even 
his  vigorous  frame  shook  with  its  prodigious  exertions ,  and 
he  was  compelled  to  seat  himself  on  the  shelf,  and  rest  with 
his  back  against  the  cliff,  to  recover  his  self-command  and 
Strength.     Mildred  uttered  a  faint  shriek  as  he  disappeared, 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  3/ 

but  was  too  much  horror-stricken  to  approach  the  verge  of 
the  precipice  to  ascertain  his  fate. 

"  Bt  composed,  Milly,"  said  her  father,  "  he  is  safe,  as 
you  may  see  by  the  halyards;  and  to  say  the  truth,  the  stuff 
holds  on  well.  So  long  as  the  line  proves  true,  the  boy 
can't  fall ;  he  has  taken  a  double  turn  with  the  end  of  it 
round  his  body.  Make  your  mind  easy,  girl,  for  I  feel  bet- 
ter now,  and  see  my  way  clear.  Don't  be  uneasy.  Sir  Wych- 
erly ;  we'll  have  the  lad  safe  on  terra  Jirma  again,  in  ten 
minutes.  I  scarce  know  what  has  come  over  me,  this  morn- 
ing; but  I've  not  had  the  command  of  my  limbs  as  in  com- 
mon. It  cannot  be  fright,  for  I've  seen  too  many  men  in 
danger  to  be  disabled  by  that ;  and  I  think,  Milly,  it  must 
be  the  rheumatism,  of  which  I've  so  often  spoken,  and  which 
I've  inherited  from  my  poor  mother,  dear  old  soul.  Do  you 
know,  Sir  Wycherly,  that  rheumatism  can  be  inherited  like 
gout?" 

"  I  dare  say  it  may — I  dare  say  it  may,  Dutton — but  never 
mind  the  disease,  now;  get  my  young  namesake  back  here 
on  the  grass,  and  I  will  hear  all  about  it.  I  would  give  the 
world  that  I  had  not  sent  Dick  to  Mr.  Rotherham's  this 
morning.  Can't  we  contrive  to  make  the  pony  pull  the  boy 
up?" 

"The  traces  are  hardly  strong  enough  for  such  work,  Sir 
Wycherly.  Have  a  little  patience,  and  I  will  manage  the 
whole  thing,  'ship-shape,  and  Brister  fashion,'  as  we  say  at 
sea.  Halloo  there,  Master  Wychecombe — answer  my  hail, 
and  I  will  soon  get  you  into  deep  water." 

"I'm  safe  on  the  ledge,"  returned  the  voice  of  Wyche- 
combe, from  below;  "  I  wish  you  would  look  to  the  signal- 
halyards,  and  see  they  do  not  chafe  against  the  rocks,  Mr. 
Dutton." 

"All  right,  sir;  all  right.  Slack  up,  if  you  please,  and 
let  me  have  all  the  line  you  can,  without  casting  off  from 
your  body.     Keep  fast  the  end  for  fear  of  accidents." 

In  an  instant  the  halyards  slackened,  and  Dutton,  who 


38  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

by  this  time  had  gained  his  self-command,  though  still  weak 
and  unnerved  by  the  habits  of  the  last  fifteen  years,  forced 
the  bight  along  the  edge  of  the  cliff,  until  he  had  brought  it 
over  a  projection  of  the  rocks,  where  it  fastened  itself.  This 
arrangement  caused  the  line  to  lead  down  to  the  part  of  the 
cliffs  from  which  the  young  man  had  fallen,  and  where  it 
was  by  no  means  difficult  for  a  steady  head  and  active  limbs 
to  move  about  and  pluck  flowers.  It  consequently  remained 
for  Wychecombe  merely  to  regain  a  footing  on  that  part  of 
the  hillside,  to  ascend  to  the  summit  without  difficulty.  It 
is  true  he  was  now  below  the  point  from  which  he  had 
fallen,  but  by  swinging  himself  off  laterally,  or  even  by 
springing,  aided  by  the  line,  it  was  not  a  difficult  achieve- 
ment to  reach  it,  and  he  no  sooner  understood  the  nature  of 
the  change  that  had  been  made  than  he  set  about  attempt- 
ing it.  The  confident  manner  of  Button  encouraged  both 
the  baronet  and  Mildred,  and  they  drew  to  the  cliff  again; 
standing  near  the  verge,  though  on  the  part  where  the  rocks 
might  be  descended,  with  less  apprehension  of  consequences. 
As  soon  as  Wychecombe  had  made  all  his  preparations, 
he  stood  on  the  end  of  the  ledge,  tightened  the  line,  looked 
carefully  for  a  foothold  on  the  other  side  of  the  chasm,  and 
made  his  leap.  As  a  matter  of  course,  the  body  of  the  young 
man  swung  readily  across  the  space,  until  the  line  became 
perpendicular,  and  then  he  found  a  surface  so  broken  as  to 
render  his  ascent  by  no  means  difficult,  aided  as  he  was  by 
the  halyards.  Scrambling  upward,  he  soon  rejected  the 
aid  of  the  line,  and  sprang  upon  the  headland.  At  the 
same  instant,  Mildred  fell  senseless  on  the  grass. 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  39 


CHAPTER    III. 

*'  I  wast  a  hero  : — an  uncommon  want, 

When  every  year  and  month  send  forth  a  new  one : 
'Till,  after  cloying  the  gazettes  with  cant, 
The  age  discovers  he  is  not  a  true  one  ; — " 

Byron. 

In  consequence  of  the  unsteadiness  of  the  father's  nerves, 
the  duty  of  raising  Mildred  in  his  arms,  and  of  carrying  her 
to  the  cottage,  devolved  on  the  young  man.  This  he  did 
with  a  readiness  and  concern  which  proved  how  deep  an 
interest  he  took  in  her  situation,  and  with  a  power  of  arm 
which  showed  that  his  strength  was  increased  rather  than 
lessened  by  the  condition  into  which  she  had  fallen.  So 
rapid  was  his  movement,  that  no  one  saw  the  kiss  he  im- 
pressed on  the  pallid  cheek  of  the  sweet  girl,  or  the  tender 
pressure  with  which  he  grasped  the  lifeless  form.  By  the 
time  he  reached  the  door,  the  motion  and  air  had  begun  to 
revive  her,  and  Wychecombe  committed  her  to  the  care  of 
her  alarmed  mother,  with  a  few  hurried  words  of  explana- 
tion. He  did  not  leave  the  house,  however,  for  a  quarter  of 
an  hour,  except  to  call  out  to  Button  that  Mildred  was  re- 
viving, and  that  he  need  be  under  no  uneasiness  on  her  ac- 
count. Why  he  remained  so  long,  we  leave  the  reader  to 
imagine,  for  the  girl  had  been  immediately  taken  to  her  own 
little  chamber,  and  he  saw  her  no  more  for  several  hours. 

When  our  young  sailor  came  out  upon  the  headland  again, 
he  found  the  party  near  the  flagstaff  increased  to  four. 
Dick,  the  groom,  had  returned  from  his  errand,  and  Tom 
Wychecombe,  the  intended  heir  of  the  baronet,  was  also 
there,  in  mourning  for  his  reputed  father,  the  judge.  This 
young  man  had  become  a  frequent  visitor  to  the  station  of 
late,  affecting  to  imbibe  his  uncle's  taste  for  sea-air  and  a 
view  of  the  ocean.  There  had  been  several  meetings  be- 
tween himself  and  his  namesake,   and  each   interview  was 


40  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

becoming  less  amicable  than  the  preceding,  for  a  reason 
that  was  sufficiently  known  to  the  parties.  When  they  met 
on  the  present  occasion,  therefore,  the  bows  they  exchanged 
were  haughty  and  distant,  and  the  glances  cast  at  each  other 
might  have  been  termed  hostile,  were  it  not  that  a  sinister 
irony  was  blended  with  that  of  Tom  Wychecombe.  Still, 
the  feelings  that  were  uppermost  did  not  prevent  the  latter 
from  speaking  in  an  apparently  friendly  manner. 

"They  tell  me,  Mr.  Wychecombe,"  observed  the  judge's 
heir  (for  this  Tom  Wychecombe  might  legally  claim  to  be)  ; 
"  they  tell  me,  Mr.  Wychecombe,  that  you  have  been  taking 
a  lesson  in  your  trade  this  morning,  by  swinging  over  the 
cliffs  at  the  end  of  a  rope?  Now,  that  is  an  exploit  more  to 
the  taste  of  an  American  than  to  that  of  an  Englishman,  I 
should  think.  But  I  dare  say  one  is  compelled  to  do  many 
things  in  the  colonies  that  we  never  dream  of  at  home." 

This  was  said  with  seeming  indifference,  though  with 
great  art.  Sir  Wycherly's  principal  weakness  was  an  over- 
weening and  an  ignorant  admiration  of  his  own  country,  and 
all  it  contained.  He  was  also  strongly  addicted  to  that 
feeling  of  contempt  for  the  dependencies  of  the  empire, 
which  seems  to  be  inseparable  from  the  political  connection 
between  the  people  of  the  metropolitan  country  and  their 
colonies.  There  must  be  entire  equality,  for  perfect  respect, 
in  any  situation  in  life;  and,  as  a  rule,  men  always  appro- 
priate to  their  own  shares  any  admitted  superiority  that  may 
happen  to  exist  on  the  part  of  the  communities  to  which 
they  belong.  It  is  on  this  principle  that  the  tenant  of  a 
cockloft  in  P  ris  or  London  is  so  apt  to  feel  a  high  claim 
to  superiority  over  the  occupant  of  a  comfortable  abode  in 
a  village.  As  between  England  and  her  North  American 
colonies  in  particular,  this  feeling  was  stronger  than  is  the 
case  usually,  on  account  of  the  early  democratical  tenden- 
cies of  the  latter;  not  that  these  tendencies  had  already  be- 
come the  subject  of  political  jealousies,  but  that  they  left 
social  impressions  which  were  singularly  adapted  to  bring- 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  4 1 

ing  the  colonists  into  contempt  among  a  people  predominant 
for  their  own  factitious  habits,  and  who  are  so  strongly  in- 
clined to  view  everything,  even  to  principles,  through  the 
medium  of  arbitrary,  conventional  customs.  It  must  be 
confessed  that  the  Americans,  in  the  middle  of  the  eigh- 
teenth centur}',  were  an  exceedingly  provincial,  and  in  many 
particulars  a  narrow-minded  people,  as  well  in  their  opin- 
ions as  in  their  habits;  nor  is  the  reproach  altogether  re- 
moved at  the  present  day;  but  the  country  from  which  they 
are  derived  had  not  then  made  the  vast  strides  in  civili- 
zation for  which  it  has  latterly  become  so  distinguished. 
The  indifference,  too,  with  which  all  Europe  regarded  the 
whole  American  continent,  and  to  which  England  herself, 
though  she  possessed  so  large  a  stake  on  this  side  of  the 
Atlantic,  formed  no  material  exception,  constantly  led  that 
quarter  of  the  world  into  profound  mistakes  in  all  its  rea- 
soning that  was  connected  with  this  quarter  of  the  world, 
and  aided  in  producing  the  state  of  feeling  to  which  we 
have  alluded.  Sir  Wycherly  felt  and  reasoned  on  the  sub- 
ject of  America  much  as  the  great  bulk  of  his  countrymen 
felt  and  reasoned  in  1745;  the  exceptions  existing  only 
among  the  enlightened,  and  those  whose  particular  duties 
rendered  more  correct  knowledge  necessary,  and  not  always 
among  them.  It  is  said  that  the  English  minister  conceived 
the  idea  of  taxing  America  from  the  circumstance  of  seeing 
a  wealthy  Virginian  lose  a  large  sum  at  play,  a  sort  of  argu- 
mentum  ad  hominem  that  brought  with  it  a  very  dangerous 
conclusion  to  apply  to  the  sort  of  people  with  whom  he  had 
to  deal.  Let  this  be  as  it  might,  there  is  no  more  question 
that,  at  the  period  of  our  tale,  the  profoundest  ignorance 
concerning  America  existed  generally  in  the  mother  country, 
than  there  is  that  the  profoundest  respect  existed  in  America 
for  nearly  everything  English.  Truth  compels  us  to  add 
that,  in  despite  of  all  that  has  passed,  the  cis-atlantic  portion 
of  the  weakness  has  longest  endured  the  assaults  of  time 
and  of  an  increased  intercourse. 


42  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

Young  Wycherly,  as  is  ever  the  case,  was  keenly  alive  to 
any  insinuations  that  might  be  supposed  to  reflect  on  the 
portion  of  the  empire  of  which  he  was  a  native.  He  con- 
sidered himself  an  Englishman,  it  is  true ;  was  thoroughly 
loyal ;  and  was  every  way  disposed  to  sustain  the  honor  and 
interests  of  the  seat  of  authority;  but  when  questions  were 
raised  between  Europe  and  America  he  was  an  Ameriqan; 
as,  in  America  itself,  he  regarded  himself  as  purely  a  Vir- 
ginian, in  contradistinction  to  all  the  other  colonies.  He 
understood  the  intended  sarcasm  of  Tom  Wychecombe,  but 
smothered  his  resentment,  out  of  respect  to  the  baronet,  and 
perhaps  a  little  influenced  by  the  feelings  in  which  he  had 
been  so  lately  indulging. 

"Those  gentlemen  who  are  disposed  to  fancy  such  things 
of  the  colonies  would  do  well  to  visit  that  part  of  the  world," 
he  answered  calmly,  "  before  they  express  their  opinions 
too  loudly,  lest  they  should  say  something  that  future  ob- 
servation might  make  them  wish  to  recall." 

"True,  my  young  friend — quite  true,"  put  in  the  baronet, 
with  the  kindest  possible  intentions.  "True  as  gospel. 
We  never  know  anything  of  matters  about  which  we  know 
nothing;  that  we  old  men  must  admit.  Master  Button,  and 
I  should  think  Tom  must  see  its  force.  It  would  be  unrea- 
sonable to  expect  to  find  ever}'thing  as  comfortable  in  Amer- 
ica as  we  have  it  here  in  England ;  nor  do  I  suppose  the 
Americans,  in  general,  would  be  as  likely  to  get  over  a  cliff 
as  an  Englishman.  However,  there  are  exceptions  to  all 
general  rules,  as  my  poor  brother  James  used  to  say,  when 
he  saw  occasion  to  find  fault  with  the  sermon  of  a  prelate. 
I  believe  you  did  not  know  my  poor  brother.  Button;  he 
must  have  been  killed  about  the  time  you  were  bom — St. 
James,  I  used  to  call  him,  although  my  brother  Thomas,  the 
judge  that  was,  Tom's  father,  there — said  he  was  St.  James 
the  Less." 

"  I  believe  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wychecombe  was  dead  before  I 
was  of  an  age  to  remember  his  virtues,  Sir  Wycherly,"  said 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  43 

Dutton  respectfully;  '' though  I  have  often  heard  my  own 
father  speak  of  all  your  honored  family." 

"  Yes,  your  father,  Dutton,  was  the  attorney  of  the  next 
town,  and  we  all  knew  him  well.  You  have  done  quite  right 
to  come  back  among  us  to  spend  the  close  of  your  own  days. 
A  man  is  never  as  well  off  as  when  he  is  thriving  in  his 
native  soil;  more  especially  when  that  soil  is  old  England, 
and  Devonshire.  You  are  not  one  of  us,  young  gentleman, 
though  your  name  happens  to  be  Wychecombe ;  but  then  we 
are  none  of  us  accountable  for  our  own  births  or  birth- 
places." 

This  truism,  which  is  in  the  mouths  of  thousands  while 
it  is  in  the  hearts  of  scarcely  any,  was  well  meant  by  Sir 
Wycherly,  however  plainly  expressed.  It  merely  drew  from 
the  youth  the  simple  answer  that  "  he  was  born  in  the  col- 
onies, and  had  colonists  for  his  parents" ;  a  fact  that  the 
others  had  heard  already,  some  ten  or  a  dozen  times. 

"  It  is  a  little  singular,  Mr.  Wychecombe,  that  you  should 
bear  both  of  my  names,  and  yet  be  no  relative,"  continued 
the  baronet.  "  Now,  Wycherly  came  into  our  family  from 
old  Sir  Hildebrand  Wycherly,  who  was  slain  at  Bosworth 
Field,  and  whose  only  daughter,  my  ancestor,  and  Tom's 
ancestor,  there,  married.  Since  that  day,  Wycherly  has  been 
a  favorite  name  among  us.  I  do  not  think  that  the  Wyche- 
combes  of  Herts  ever  thought  of  calling  a  son  Wycherly, 
although,  as  my  poor  brother  the  judge  used  to  say,  they 
were  related,  but  of  the  half-blood,  only.  I  suppose  your 
father  taught  you  what  is  meant  by  being  of  the  half-blood, 
Thomas?" 

Tom  Wychecombe's  face  became  the  color  of  scarlet,  and 
he  cast  an  uneasy  glance  at  all  present;  expecting,  in  partic- 
ular, to  meet  with  a  look  of  exultation  in  the  eyes  of  the 
lieutenant.  He  was  greatly  relieved,  however,  at  finding 
that  neither  of  the  three  meant  or  understood  more  than  was 
simply  expressed.  As  for  his  uncle,  he  had  not  the  small- 
esc  intention  of  making  any  allusion  to   the  peculiarity  of 


44  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

his  nephew's  birth ;  and  the  other  two,  in  common  with  the 
world,  supposed  the  reputed  heir  to  be  legitimate.  Gather  • 
ing  courage  from  the  looks  of  those  around  him,  Tom  an- 
swered with  a  steadiness  that  prevented  his  agitation  from 
being  detected: 

"  Certainly,  my  dear  sir;  my  excellent  parent  forgot  noth- 
ing that  he  thought  might  be  useful  to  me,  in  maintaining 
my  rights,  and  the  honor  of  the  family,  hereafter.  I  very 
well  understand  that  the  Wychecombes  of  Hertfordshire 
have  no  claims  on  us;  nor,  indeed,  any  VVychecombe  who 
is  not  descended  from  my  respectable  grandfather,  the  late 
Sir  Wycherly." 

"  He  must  have  been  an  early ^  instead  of  a  late  Sir 
Wycherly,  rather,  Mr.  Thomas,"  put  in  Dutton,  laughing  at 
his  own  conceit;  "for  I  can  remember  no  other  than  the 
honorable  baronet  before  us,  in  the  last  fifty  years." 

"  Quite  true,  Dutton — very  true,"  rejoined  the  person  last 
alluded  to.  "  As  true  as  that  '  time  and  tide  wait  for  no 
man.*  We  understand  the  meaning  of  such  things  on  the 
coast  here.  It  was  half  a  century,  last  October,  since  I  suc- 
ceeded my  respected  parent;  but  it  will  not  be  another  half 
century  before  some  one  will  succeed  me!" 

Sir  Wycherly  was  a  hale,  hearty  man  for  his  years,  but  he 
had  no  unmanly  dread  of  his  end.  Still  he  felt  it  could  not 
be  very  distant,  having  already  numbered  fourscore  and  four 
years.  Nevertheless,  there  were  certain  phrases  of  usage 
that  Dutton  did  not  see  fit  to  forget  on  such  an  occasion, 
and  he  answered  accordingly,  turning  to  look  at  and  admire 
the  still  ruddy  countenance  of  the  baronet,  by  way  of  giving 
emphasis  to  his  words. 

"  You  will  yet  see  half  of  us  into  our  graves.  Sir  Wycher- 
ly," he  said,  "  and  still  remain  an  active  man.  Though  I 
dare  say  another  half-century  will  bring  most  of  us  up. 
Even  Mr.  Thomas,  here,  and  your  young  namesake  can 
hardly  hope  to  run  out  more  line  than  that.  Well,  as  for 
myself,  I  only  desire  to  live  through  this  war,  that  I  may 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  45 

again  see  His  Majesty's  arms  triumphant;  though  they  do 
tell  me  that  we  are  in  for  a  good  thirty  years'  struggle. 
Wars  have  lasted  as  long  as  that^  Sir  Wycherly,  and  I  don't 
see  why  this  may  not,  as  well  as  another." 

"Very true,  Dutton;  it  is  not  only  possible,  but  probable; 
and  I  trust  both  you  and  I  may  live  to  see  our  flower-hunter 
here  a  post-captain,  at  least — though  it  would  be  wishing 
almost  too  much  to  expect  to  see  him  an  admiral.  There 
has  been  one  admiral  of  the  name,  and  I  confess  I  should 
like  to  see  another!" 

"Has  not  Mr.  Thomas  a  brother  in  the  service?"  de- 
manded the  master;  "  I  had  thought  that  my  lord,  the  judge, 
had  given  us  one  of  his  young  gentlemen." 

"  He  thought  of  it ;  but  the  army  got  both  of  the  boys, 
as  it  turned  out.  Gregory  was  to  be  the  midshipman;  my 
poor  brother  intending  him  for  a  sailor  from  the  first,  and 
so  giving  him  the  name  that  was  once  borne  by  the  unfor- 
tunate relative  we  lost  by  shipwreck.  I  wished  him  to  call 
one  of  the  lads  James,  after  St.  James;  but,  somehow,  I 
never  could  persuade  Thomas  to  see  all  the  excellence  of 
that  pious  young  man." 

Dutton  was  a  little  embarrassed,  for  St.  James  had  left 
anything  but  a  godly  savor  behind  him ;  and  he  was  about 
to  fabricate  a  tolerably  bold  assertion  to  the  contrary,  rather 
than  incur  the  risk  of  offending  the  lord  of  the  manor,  when, 
luckily,  a  change  in  the  state  of  the  fog  afforded  him  a 
favorable  opportunity  of  bringing  about  an  apposite  change 
in  the  subject.  During  the  whole  of  the  morning  the  sea 
had  been  invisible  from  the  headland,  a  dense  body  of 
vapor  resting  on  it,  far  as  eye  could  reach;  veiling  the 
whole  expanse  with  a  single  white  cloud.  The  lighter  por- 
tions of  the  vapor  had  at  first  floated  around  the  headland, 
which  could  not  have  been  seen  at  any  material  distance; 
but  all  had  been  gradually  settling  down  into  a  single  mass, 
that  now  rose  within  twenty  feet  of  the  summit  of  the  cliffs. 
The  hour  was  still  quite  early,  but  the  sun  was  gaining 


46  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

force,  and  it  speedily  drank  up  all  the  lighter  particles  of 
the  mist,  leaving  a  clear,  bright  atmosphere  above  the 
feathery  bank,  through  which  objects  might  be  seen  for 
miles.  There  was  what  seamen  call  a  "fanning  breeze,"  or 
just  wind  enough  to  cause  the  light  sails  of  a  ship  to  swell 
and  collapse,  under  the  double  influence  of  the  air  and  the 
motion  of  the  hull,  imitating  in  a  slight  degree  the  vibra- 
tions of  that  familiar  appliance  of  the  female  toilet.  But- 
ton's eye  had  caught  a  glance  of  the  loftiest  sail  of  a  vessel, 
above  the  fog,  going  through  this  very  movement;  and  it 
afforded  him  the  release  he  desired,  by  enabling  him  to 
draw  the  attention  of  his  companions  to  the  same  object. 

"See,  Sir  Wycherly — see,  Mr.  Wychecombe,"  he  cried 
eagerly,  pointing  in  the  direction  of  the  sail ;  "  yonder  is 
some  of  the  king's  canvas  coming  into  our  roadstead,  or  I 
am  no  judge  of  the  set  of  a  man-of-war's  royal.  It  is  a 
large  bit  of  cloth,  too,  Mr.  Lieutenant,  for  a  sail  so  lofty!" 

"It  is  a  two-decker's  royal.  Master  Dutton,"  returned  the 
young  sailor;  "and  now  you  see  the  fore  and  main,  sepa- 
rately,, as  the  ship  keeps  away." 

"Well,"  put  in  Sir  Wycherly,  in  a  resigned  manner; 
"here  have  I  lived  fourscore  years  on  this  coast,  and,  for 
the  life  of  me,  I  have  never  been  able  to  tell  a  fore-royal 
from  a  back-royal;  or  a  mizzen  head-stay  from  a  head 
mizzen-stay.  They  are  the  most  puzzling  things  imagina- 
ble ;  and  now  I  cannot  discover  how  you  know  that  yonder 
sail,  which  I  see  plain  enough,  is  a  royal  any  more  than 
that  it  is  a  jib!" 

Dutton  and  the  lieutenant  smiled,  but  Sir  Wycherly's 
simplicity  had  a  cast  of  truth  and  nature  about  it  that  de- 
terred most  people  from  wishing  to  ridicule  him.  Then, 
the  rank,  fortune,  and  local  interest  of  the  baronet  counted 
for  a  good  deal  on  all  such  occasions. 

"  Here  is  another  fellow,  farther  east,"  cried  Dutton,  still 
pointing  with  a  finger;  "and  every  inch  as  big  as  his  con- 
sort !     Ah !  it  does  my  eyes  good  to,  see  our  roadstead  come 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  4/ 

Into  notice,  in  this  manner,  after  all  I  have  said  and  done 
in  its  behalf.  But,  who  have  we  here — a  brother  chip,  by 
his  appearance;  I  dare  say  some  idler  who  has  been  sent 
ashore  with  despatches." 

"  There  is  another  fellow  further  east,  and  every  inch  as 
big  as  his  consort,"  said  Wychecombe,  as  we  shall  call  our 
lieutenant,  in  order  to  distinguish  him  from  Tom  f  the 
same  name,  repeating  the  very  words  of  Button,  with  an 
application  and  readiness  that  almost  amounted  to  wit, 
pointing,  in  his  turn,  at  two  strangers  who  were  ascending 
to  the  station  by  a  path  that  led  from  the  beach.  "  Cer- 
tainly both  these  gentlemen  are  in  His  Majesty's  service, 
and  they  have  probably  just  landed  from  the  ships  in  the 
offing." 

The  truth  of  this  conjecture  was  apparent  to  Button  at  a 
glance.  As  the  strangers  joined  each  other,  the  one  last 
seen  proceeded  in  advance ;  and  there  was  something  in  his 
years,  the  confident  manner  in  which  he  approached,  and 
his  general  appearance,  that  induced  both  the  sailors  to 
believe  he  might  be  the  commander  of  one  of  the  ships  that 
had  just  come  in  view. 

"Good-morrow,  gentlemen,"  commenced  this  person,  as 
soon  as  near  enough  to  salute  the  party  at  the  foot  of  the 
flagstaff;  "good-morrow  to  ye  all.  I'm  glad  to  meet  you, 
for  it's  but  a  Jacob's  ladder,  this  path  of  yours,  through  the 
ravine  in  the  cliffs.  Hey!  why,  Atwood,"  looking  around 
him  at  the  sea  of  vapor,  in  surprise,  "what  the  devil  has 
become  of  the  fleet?" 

"  It  is  lost  in  the  fog,  sir ;  we  are  above  it,  here ;  when 
more  on  a  level  with  the  ships,  we  could  see,  or  fancy  we 
saw,  more  of  them  than  we  do  now." 

"  Here  are  the  upper  sails  of  two  heavy  ships,  sir,"  ob- 
served Wychecombe,  pointing  in  the  direction  of  the  vessels 
already  seen ;  "  ay,  and  yonder  are  two  more — nothing  but 
the  royals  are  visible." 

"Two  more! — I  left  eleven  two-deckers,  three  frigates,  a 


48  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

sloop,  and  a  cutter  in  sight,  when  I  got  into  the  boat.  Yon 
might  have  covered  'em  all  with  a  pocket-handkerchief,  hey! 
Atwood! ' 

"They  were  certainly  in  close  order,  sir,  but  I'll  not  take 
it  on  myself  to  say  quite  as  near  together  as  that." 

"  Ay,  you'  e  a  dissenter  by  trade,  and  never  will  believe 
in  a  miracle.  Sharp  work,  gentlemen,  to  get  up  such  a  hill 
as  this,  after  fifty." 

"  It  is,  indeed,  sir,"  answered  Sir  Wycherly  kindly. 
"Will  you  do  us  the  favor  to  take  a  seat  among  us,  and 
rest  yourself  after  so  violent  an  exertion?  The  cliff  is  hard 
enough  to  ascend,  even  when  one  keeps  the  path;  though 
here  is  a  young  gentleman  who  had  a  fancy  just  now  to  go 
down  it,  without  a  path;  and  that,  too,  merely  that  a  pretty 
girl  might  have  a  nosegay  on  her  breakfast-table." 

The  stranger  looked  intently  at  Sir  Wycherly  for  a  mo- 
ment, then  glanced  his  eye  at  the  groom  and  the  pony,  after 
which  he  took  a  survey  of  Tom  Wychecombe,  the  lieutenant, 
and  the  master.  He  was  a  man  accustomed  to  look  about 
him,  and  he  understood,  by  that  rapid  glance,  the  characters 
of  all  he  surveyed,  with  perhaps  the  exception  of  that  of 
Tom  Wychecombe ;  and  even  of  that  he  formed  a  tolerably 
shrewd  conjecture.  Sir  Wycherly  he  immediately  set  down 
as  the  squire  of  the  adjacent  estate;  Button's  situation  he 
hit  exactly,  conceiving  him  to  be  a  worn-out  master,  who 
was  employed  to  keep  the  signal-station ;  while  he  under- 
stood Wychecombe,  by  his  undress  and  air,  to  be  a  sea- 
lieutenant  in  the  king's  service.  Tom  Wychecombe  he 
thought  it  quite  likely  might  be  the  son  and  heir  of  the  lord 
of  the  manor,  both  being  in  mourning;  though  he  decided 
in  his  own  mind  that  there  was  not  the  smallest  family 
likeness  between  them.  Bowing  with  the  courtesy  of  a  man 
who  knew  how  to  acknowledge  a  civility,  he  took  the  prof- 
fered seat  at  Sir  Wycherly's  side  without  farther  ceremony. 

"We  must  carry  the  young  fellow  to  sea  with  us,  sir,"  re- 
joined the  stranger,  "  and  that  will  cure  him  of  looking  for 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  49 

flowers  in  such  ticklish  places.  His  Majesty  has  need  of 
us  all,  in  this  war;  and  I  trust,  young  gentleman,  you  have 
not  been  long  ashore,  among  the  girls." 

"  Only  long  enough  to  make  a  cure  of  a  pretty  smart  hurt, 
received  in  cutting  out  a  lugger  from  the  opposite  coast," 
answered  Wychecombe,  with  sufficient  modesty,  and  yet 
with  sufficient  spirit. 

"  Lugger ! — ha !  what,  Atwood  ?  You  surely  do  not  mean, 
young  gentleman,  La  Voltigeuse?" 

"  That  was  the  name  of  the  craft,  sir — we  found  her  in 
the  roads  of  Groix." 

'•  And  then  I've  the  pleasure  of  seeing  Mr.  Wychecombe, 
the  young  officer  who  led  in  that  gallant  attack .'"' 

This  was  said  with  a  most  flattering  warmth  of  manner, 
the  stranger  even  rising  and  removing  his  hat,  as  he  uttered 
the  words  with  a  heartiness  that  showed  how  much  his  feel- 
ings were  in  unison  with  what  he  said. 

"  I  am  Mr.  Wychecombe,  sir,"  answered  the  other,  blush- 
ing to  the  temples,  and  returning  the  salute;  "though  I  had 
not  the  honor  of  leading;  one  of  the  lieutenants  of  our 
ship  being  in  another  boat," 

"  Yes — I  know  all  that — but  he  was  beaten  off,  while  you 
boarded  and  did  the  work.  What  have  my  lords  commis- 
sioners done  in  the  matter?" 

"All  that  is  necessary,  so  far  as  I  am  concerned,  sir,  I  do 
assure  you;  having  sent  me  a  commission  the  very  next 
week.  I  only  wish  they  had  been  equally  generous  to  Mr. 
Walton,  who  received  a  severe  wound  also,  and  behaved  as 
well  as  man  could  behave." 

"  That  would  not  be  so  wise,  Mr.  Wychecombe,  since  it 
would  be  rewarding  a  failure,"  returned  the  stranger  coldly. 
"  Success  is  all  in  all,  in  war.  Ah!  there  the  fellows  begin 
to  show  themselves,  Atwood." 

This  remark  drew  all  eyes  again  toward  the  sea,  where 
a  sight  now  presented   itself  that   was  really  worthy  of  a 
passing    notice.      The    vapor   appeared    to    have   become 
4 


50  THE  TWO   ADMIRALS. 

packed  into  a  mass  of  some  eighty  or  a  hundred  feet  in 
height,  leaving  a  perfectly  clear  atmosphere  above  it.  In 
the  clear  air,  were  visible  the  upper  spars  and  canvas  of 
the  entire  fleet  mentioned  by  the  stranger;  sixteen  sail  in 
all.  There  were  the  eleven  two-deckers,  and  the  three 
frigates,  rising  in  pyramids  of  canvas,  still  fanning  in 
toward  the  anchorage,  which  in  that  roadstead  was  within 
pistol-shot  of  the  shore ;  while  the  royals  and  upper  part  of 
the  topgallant  sails  of  the  sloop  seemed  to  stand  on  the 
surface  of  the  fog,  like  a  monument.  After  a  moment's 
pause,  Wychecombe  discovered  even  the  head  of  the  cutter's 
royal-mast,  with  the  pennant  lazily  fluttering  ahead  of  it, 
partly  concealed  in  vapor.  The  fog  seemed  to  settle,  in- 
stead of  rising,  though  it  evidently  rolled  along  the  face  of 
the  waters,  putting  the  whole  scene  in  motion.  It  was  not 
long  ere  the  tops  of  the  ships  of  the  line  became  visible, 
and  then  living  beings  were  for  the  first  time  seen  in  the 
moving  masses. 

"I  suppose  we  offer  just  such  a  sight  to  the  topmen  of 
the  ships  as  they  offer  to  us,"  observed  the  siranger.  "  They 
must  see  this  headland  and  flagstaff,  Mr.  Wychecombe; 
and  there  can  be  no  danger  of  their  standing  in  too  far!" 

"I  should  think  not,  sir;  certainly  the  men  aloft  can  see 
the  cliffs  above  the  fog,  as  we  see  the  vessels'  spars.  Ha! 
Mr.  Button,  there  is  a  rear-admiral's  flag  flying  on  board 
the  ship  farthest  to  the  eastward." 

"  So  I  see,  sir;  and  by  looking  at  the  third  vessel  on  the 
western  side  of  the  line,  you  will  find  a  bit  of  square  bunt- 
ing at  the  fore,  which  will  tell  you  there  is  a  vice-admiral 
beneath  it." 

"Quite  true!"  exclaimed  Wychecombe,  who  was  ever  en- 
thusiastic on  matters  relating  to  his  profession;  "a  vice 
admiral  of  the  red,  too ;  which  is  the  next  step  to  being  a  full 
admiral.     This  must  be  the  fleet  of  Sir  Digby  Downes!" 

"  No,  young  gentleman,"  returned  the  stranger,  who  per- 
ceived, by  the  glance  of  the  other's  eye,  that  a  question  was 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  5 1 

inuirectly  put  to  himself;  "  it  is  the  southern  squadron ;  and 
the  vice-admiral's  flag  you  see  belongs  to  Sir  Gervaise 
Oakes.  Admiral  Bluewater  is  on  board  the  ship  that  carries 
a  flag  at  the  mizzen." 

"  Those  two  officers  always  go  together,  Sir  Wycherly," 
added  the  young  man.  "Whenever  we  hear  the  name  of  Sir 
Gervaise,  that  of  Bluewater  is  certain  to  accompany  it. 
Such  a  union  in  service  is  delightful  to  witness." 

"Well  may  they  go  in  company,  Mr.  Wychecombe,"  re- 
turned the  stranger,  betraying  a  little  emotion.  "  Oakes 
and  Bluewater  were  reefers  together,  under  old  Breasthook, 
in  the  Mermaid;  and  when  the  first  was  made  a  lieutenant 
into  the  Squid,  the  last  followed  as  a  mate.  Oakes  was  first 
of  the  Briton,  in  her  action  with  the  Spanish  frigates,  and 
Bluewater  third.  For  that  affair  Oakes  got  a  sloop,  and  his 
friend  went  with  him  as  his  first.  The  next  year  they  had 
the  luck  to  capture  a  heavier  ship  than  their  own,  when,  for 
the  first  time  in  their  service,  the  two  young  men  were  sepa- 
rated; Oakes  getting  a  frigate,  and  Bluewater  getting  the 
Squid.  Still  they  cruised  in  company,  until  the  senior  was 
sent  in  command  of  a  flying  squadron,  with  a  broad  pennant, 
when  the  junior,  who  by  this  time  was  post,  received  his 
old  messmate  on  board  his  own  frigate.  In  that  manner 
they  served  together,  down  to  the  hour  when  the  first  hoisted 
his  flag.  From  that  time,  the  two  old  seamen  have  never 
been  parted;  Bluewater  acting  as  the  admiral's  captain, 
until  he  got  the  square  bunting  himself.  The  vice-admiral 
has  never  led  the  van  of  a  fleet,  that  the  rear-admiral  did 
not  lead  the  rear-division;  and,  now  that  Sir  Gervaise  is  a 
commander-in-chief,  you  see  his  friend,  Dick  Bluewater,  is 
cruising  in  his  company." 

While  the  stranger  was  giving  this  account  of  the  Two 
Admirals,  in  a  half-serious,  half-jocular  manner,  the  eyes  of 
his  companions  were  on  him.  He  was  a  middle-sized,  red- 
faced  man,  with  an  aquiline  nose,  a  light-blue,  animated 
eye,  and  a  mouth  which  denoted  more  of  the  habits  and 


52  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

care  of  refinement  than  either  his  dress  or  his  ordinary 
careless  mien.  A  great  deal  is  said  about  the  aristocracy 
of  the  ears,  and  the  hands,  and  the  feet;  but  of  all  the 
features,  or  other  appliances  of  the  human  frame,  the  mouth 
and  the  nose  have  the  greatest  influence  in  producing  an 
impression  of  gentility.  This  was  peculiarly  the  case  with 
the  stranger,  whose  beak,  like  that  of  an  ancient  galley, 
gave  the  promise  of  a  stately  movement,  and  whose  beauti- 
ful teeth  and  winning  smile  often  relieved  the  expression 
of  a  countenance  that  was  not  unfrequently  stern.  As  he 
ceased  speaking,  Dutton  rose  in  a  studied  manner,  raised 
his  hat  entirely  from  his  head,  bowed  his  body  nearly  to  a 
right  angle,  and  said: 

"  Unless  my  memory  is  treacherous,  I  believe  I  have  the 
honor  to  see  Rear- Admiral  Bluewater,  himself;  I  was  a 
mate  in  the  Medway,  when  he  commanded  the  Chloe ;  and, 
unless  five-and-twenty  years  have  made  more  changes  than 
I  think  probable,  he  is  now  on  this  hill." 

"  Your  memory  is  a  bad  one,  Mr.  Dutton,  and  your  hill 
has  on  it  a  much  worse  man  in  all  respects,  than  Admiral 
Bluewater.  They  say  that  man  and  wife,  from  living  to- 
gether, and  thinking  alike,  having  the  same  affections,  lov- 
ing the  same  objects,  or  sometimes  hating  them,  get  in  time 
to  look  alike;  hey!  Atwood?  It  may  be  that  I  am  grow- 
ing like  Bluewater,  on  the  same  principle;  but  this  is  the 
first  time  I  ever  heard  the  thing  suggested.  I  am  Sir 
Gervaise  Oakes,  at  your  service,  sir." 

The  bow  of  Dutton  was  now  much  lower  than  before, 
while  young  Wychecombe  uncovered  himself,  and  Sir 
Wycherly  arose  and  paid  his  compliments  cordially,  intro- 
ducing himself  and  offering  the  admiral  and  all  his  officers 
the  hospitality  of  the  Hall. 

"Ay,  this  is  straightforward  and  hearty,  and  in  the  good 
old  English  manner!"  exclaimed  the  admiral,  when  he  had 
returned  the  salutes,  and  cordially  thanked  the  baronet. 
"  One  might  land  in  Scotland,  now,  anywhere  between  the 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  53 

Tweed  and  John  o'  Groat's  house,  and  not  be  asked  so  much 
as  to  eat  an  oaten  cake;  hey!  Atwood? — always  excepting 
the  mountain  dew." 

"  You  will  have  your  fling  at  my  poor  countrymen,  Sir 
Gervaise,  and  so  there  is  sno  more  to  be  said  on  the  subject, 
returned  the  secretary,  for  such  was  the  rank  of  the  admiral's 
companion.  "  I  might  feel  hurt  at  times,  did  I  not  know 
that  you  get  as  many  Scotsmen  about  you,  in  your  own  ship, 
as  you  can;  and  that  a  fleet  is  all  the  better  in  your  judg- 
ment, for  having  every  other  captain  from  the  lando'  cakes." 

"  Did  you  ever  hear  the  like  of  that,  Sir  Wycherly  ?  Be- 
cause I  stick  to  a  man  I  like,  he  accuses  me  of  having  a 
predilection  for  his  whole  country.  Here's  Atwood,  now; 
he  was  my  clerk,  when  in  a  sloop ;  and  he  has  followed  me 
to  the  Plantagenet,  and,  because  I  do  not  throw  him  over- 
board, he  wishes  to  make  it  appear  half  Scotland  is  in  her 
hold." 

"  Well,  there  are  the  surgeon,  the  purser,  one  of  the  mates, 
one  of  the  marine  officers,  and  the  fourth  lieutenant,  to  keep 
me  company.  Sir  Gervaise,"  answered  the  secretary,  smiling 
like  one  accustomed  to  his  superior's  jokes,  and  who  cared 
very  little  about  them.  "When  you  send  us  all  back  to 
Scotland,  I'm  thinking  there  will  be  many  a  good  vacancy 
to  fill." 

"  The  Scotch  make  themselves  very  useful.  Sir  Gervaise," 
put  in  Sir  Wycherly,  by  way  of  smoothing  the  matter  over; 
"and  now  we  have  a  Brunswick  prince  on  the  throne,  we 
Englishmen  have  less  jealousy  of  them  than  formerly.  I 
am  sure  I  should  be  happy  to  see  all  the  gentlemen  men- 
tioned by  Mr.  Atwood,  at  Wychecombe  Hall." 

"  There,  you're  all  well  berthed  while  the  fleet  lies  in 
these  roads.  Sir  Wycherly,  in  the  name  of  Scotland,  I 
'  thank  you.  But  what  an  extr'ornary  [for  so  admirals  pro- 
nounced the  word  a  hundred  years  agoj  scene  this  is,  hey! 
Atwood?  Many  a  time  have  I  seen  the  hulls  of  ships  when 
their  spars  were  hid  in  the  fog;  but  I  do  not  remember  ever 


54  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

to  have  seen  before  sixteen  sets  of  masts  and  sails  moving 
about  on  vapor,  without  a  single  hull  to  uphold  them.  The 
tops  of  all  the  two-decked  ships  are  as  plainly  to  be  seen  as 
if  the  air  were  without  a  particle  of  vapor,  while  all  below 
the  cat-harpings  is  hid  in  a  cloud  as  thick  as  the  smoke  of 
battle.  I  do  not  half  like  Bluewater's  standing  in  so  far; 
perhaps,  Mr.  Button,  they  cannot  see  the  cliffs,  for  I  assure 
you  we  did  not  until  quite  close  under  them.  We  went 
altogether  by  the  lead,  the  masters  feeling  their  way  like  so 
many  blind  beggars!" 

"We  always  keep, that  nine-pounder  loaded,  Sir  Ger- 
vaise,"  returned  the  master,  "  in  order  to  warn  vessels  when 
they  are  getting  near  enough  in ;  and  if  Mr.  Wychecombe, 
who  is  younger  than  I,  will  run  to  the  house  and  light  this 
match,  I  will  prime,  and  we  may  give  'em  warning  where 
they  are  in  less  than  a  minute." 

The  admiral  gave  a  ready  assent  to  this  proposition,  and 
the  respective  parties  immediately  set  about  putting  it  in 
execution.  Wychecombe  hastened  to  the  house  to  light  the 
match,  glad  of  an  opportunity  to  inquire  after  Mildred; 
while  Button  produced  a  priming-horn  from  a  sort  of  arm- 
chest  that  stood  near  the  gun,  and  put  the  latter  in  a  condi- 
tion to  be  discharged.  The  young  man  was  absent  but  a 
minute,  and  when  all  was  ready  he  turned  toward  the  admi- 
ral, in  order  to  get  the  signal  to  proceed. 

"  Let  'em  have  it,  Mr.  Wychecombe,"  said  Sir  Gervaise, 
smiling;  "  it  will  wake  Bluewater  up;  perhaps  he  may  favor 
us  with  a  broadside  by  way  of  retort." 

The  match  was  applied,  and  the  report  of  the  gun  suc- 
ceeded. Then  followed  a  pause  of  more  than  a  minute; 
when  the  fog  lifted  around  the  Caesar,  the  ship  that  wore  a 
rear-admiral's  flag,  a  flash  like  lightning  was  seen  glancing 
in  the  mist,  and  then  came  the  bellowing  of  a  piece  of  heavy 
ordnance.  Almost  at  the  same  instant  three  little  flags  ap- 
peared at  the  mast-head  of  the  Caesar,  for  previously  to 
quitting  his  own  ship  Sir  Gervaise  had  sent  a  message  to  his 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  55 

friend,  requesting  him  to  take  care  of  the  fleet.  This  was 
the  signal  to  anchor.  The  effect  of  all  this,  as  seen  from 
the  height,  was  exceedingly  striking.  As  yet  not  a  single 
hull  had  become  visible,  the  fog  remaining  packed  upon  the 
water  in  a  way  to  conceal  even  the  lower  yards  of  the  two- 
deckers.  All  above  was  bright,  distinct,  and  so  near  as 
almost  to  render  it  possible  to  distinguish,  persons.  There 
everything  was  vivid,  while  a  sort  of  supernatural  mystery 
veiled  all  beneath.  Each  ship  had  an  officer  aloft  to  look 
out  for  signals,  and  no  sooner  had  the  Caesar  opened  her 
three  little  flags,  which  had  long  been  suspended  in  black 
balls,  in  readiness  for  this  service,  than  the  answers  were 
seen  floating  at  the  masthead  of  each  of  the  vessels.  Then 
commenced  a  spectacle  still  more  curious  than  that  which 
those  on  the  cliff  had  so  long  been  regarding  with  interest. 
Ropes  began  to  move,  and  the  sails  were  drawn  up  in  fes- 
toons, apparently  without  the  agency  of  hands.  Cut  off  from 
a  seeming  communication  with  the  ocean  or  the  hulls,  the 
spars  of  the  different  ships  appeared  to  be  instinct  with  life; 
each  machine  playing  its  own  part  independently  of  the  oth- 
ers, but  all  having  the  same  object  in  view.  In  a  very  few 
minutes  the  canvas  was  hauled  up,  and  the  whole  fleet  was 
swinging  to  the  anchors.  Presently  head  after  head  was 
thrown  out  of  the  fog,  the  upper  yards  were  alive  with  men, 
and  the  sails  were  handed.  Next  came  the  squaring  of  the 
yards,  though  this  was  imperfectly  done,  and  a  good  deal  by 
guesswork.  The  men  came  down,  and  there  lay  a  noble 
fleet  at  anchor,  with  nothing  visible  to  those  on  the  cliffs 
but  their  top-hamper  and  upper  spars. 

Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  had  been  so  much  struck  and  amused 
with  a  sight  that  to  him  happened  to  be  entirely  novel  that 
he  did  not  speak  during  the  whole  process  of  anchoring. 
Indeed,  many  a  man  might  pass  his  life  at  sea  and  never 
witness  such  a  scene;  but  those  who  have  know  that  it  is 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  striking  spectacles  connected 
with  tiie  wonders  of  the  great  deep. 


56  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

By  this  time  the  sun  had  got  so  high  as  to  begin  to  stir 
the  fog,  and  streams  of  vapor  were  shooting  up  from  the 
beach,  like  smoke  rising  from  coal-pits.  The  wind  in- 
creased, too,  and  rolled  the  vapor  before  it,  and  in  less  than 
ten  minutes  the  veil  was  removed;  ship  after  ship  coming 
out  in  plain  view,  until  the  entire  fleet  was  seen  riding  in 
the  roadstead  in  its  naked  and  distinct  proportions. 

"Now  Bluewater  is  a  happy  fellow,"  exclaimed  Sir  Ger- 
vaise.  "  He  sees  his  great  enemy,  the  land,  and  knows  how 
to  deal  with  it." 

"  I  thought  the  French  were  the  great  and  natural  enemies 
of  every  British  sailor,"  observed  Sir  Wycherly  simply,  but 
quite  to  the  point. 

"  Hum — there's  truth  in  that,  too.  But  the  land  is  an 
enemy  to  be  feared,  while  the  Frenchman  is  not — hey! 
Atwood?" 

It  was,  indeed,  a  goody  sight  to  view  the  fine  fleet  that 
now  lay  anchored  beneath  the  cliffs  of  Wychecombe.  Sir 
Gervaise  Oakes  was,  in  that  period,  considered  a  successful 
naval  commander,  and  was  a  favorite  both  at  the  Admiralty 
and  with  the  nation.  His  popularity  extended  to  the  most 
distant  colonies  of  England,  in  nearly  all  of  which  he  had 
served  with  zeal  and  credit.  But  we  are  not  writing  of  an 
age  of  nautical  wonders,  like  that  which  succeeded  at  the 
close  of  the  century.  The  French  and  Dutch,  and  even  the 
Spaniards,  were  then  all  formidable  as  naval  powers;  for 
revolutions  and  changes  had  not  destroyed  their  maritime 
corps,  nor  had  the  consequent  naval  ascendency  of  England 
annihilated  their  navigation ;  the  two  great  causes  of  the 
subsequent  apparent  invincibility  of  the  latter  power.  Bat- 
tles at  sea  in  that  day  were  warmly  contested,  and  were  fre- 
quently fruitless;  more  especially  when  fleets  were  brought 
in  opposition.  The  single  combats  were  usually  more  de- 
cisive, though  the  absolute  success  of  the  British  flag  was 
far  from  being  as  much  a  matter  of  course  as  it  subsequently 
became.     In  a  word,  the  science  of  naval  warfare  had  not 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  57 

made  those  great  strides  which  marked  the  career  of  England 
in  the  end,  nor  had  it  retrograded  among  her  enemies  to  the 
point  which  appears  to  have  rendered  their  defeat  nearly 
certain.  Still  SirGervaise  was  a  successful  officer;  having 
captured  several  single  ships  in  bloody  encounters,  and  hav- 
ing actually  led  fleets  with  credit  in  four  or  five  of  the  great 
battles  of  the  times;  besides  being  second  and  third  in 
command  on  various  similar  occasions.  His  own  ship  was 
certain  to  be  engaged,  let  what  would  happen  to  the  others. 
Equally  as  captains  and  as  flag-officers,  the  nation  had  be- 
come familiar  with  the  names  of  Oakes  and  Bluewater,  as 
men  ever  to  be  found  sustaining  each  other  in  the  thickest 
of  the  fight.  It  may  be  well  to  add  here  that  both  these 
favorite  seamen  were  men  of  family,  or  at  least  what  was 
considered  men  of  family  among  the  mere  gentry  of  Eng- 
land; SirGervaise  being  a  baronet  by  inheritance,  while 
his  friend  actually  belonged  to  one  of  those  naval  lines 
which  furnishes  admirals  for  generations — his  father  having 
worn  a  white  flag  at  the  main,  and  his  grandfather  having 
been  actually  ennobled  for  his  services,  dying  vice-admiral 
of  England.  These  fortuitous  circumstances  perhaps  ren- 
dered both  so  much  the  greater  favorites  at  court. 


CHAPTER   IV. 


"  All  with  you  ;  except  three 

On  duty,  and  our  leader  Israel, 
Who  is  expected  momently." 

Marino  Faliero. 

As  his  fleet  was  safely  anchored,  and  that  too  in  beautiful 
order,  in  spite  of  the  fog,  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  showed  a  dis- 
position to  pursue  what  are  termed  ulterior  views. 

"This  has  been  a  fine  sight — certainly  a  very  fine  sight, 
such  as  an  old  seaman  loves ;  but  there  must  be  an  end  to 
it,"  he  said.     "  You  will  excuse  me,  Sir  Wycherly,  but  the 


58  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

movements  of  a  fleet  always  have  interest  in  my  eyes,  and  it 
is  seldom  that  I  get  such  a  bird's-eye  view  of  those  of  my 
own ;  no  wonder  it  has  made  me  a  somewhat  unreflecting 
intruder." 

"  Make  no  apologies,  Sir  Gervaise,  I  beg  of  you;  for  none 
are  needed  on  any  account.  Though  this  headland  does 
belong  to  the  Wychecombe  property,  it  is  fairly  leased  to 
the  crown,  and  none  have  a  better  right  to  occupy  it  than 
His  Majesty's  servants.  The  Hall  is  a  little  more  pri- 
vate, it  is  true,  but  even  that  has  no  door  that  will  close 
upon  our  gallant  naval  defenders.  It  is  but  a  short  walk, 
and  nothing  will  make  me  happier  than  to  show  you  the 
way  to  my  poor  dwelling,  and  to  see  you  as  much  at  home 
under  its  roof  as  you  could  be  in  the  cabin  of  the  Plan- 
tagenet." 

"  If  anything  could  make  me  as  much  at  home  in  a  house 
as  in  a  ship,  it  would  be  so  hearty  a  welcome;  and  I  intend 
to  accept  your  hospitality  in  the  very  spirit  in  which  it  is 
offered.  Atwood  and  I  have  landed  to  send  off  some  im- 
portant despatches  to  the  First  Lord,  and  we  will  thank  you 
for  putting  us  in  the  way  of  doing  it  in  the  safest  and  most 
expeditious  manner.  Curiosity  and  surprise  have  already 
occasioned  the  loss  of  half  an  hour;  while  a  soldier  or  a 
sailor  should  never  lose  half  a  minute." 

"  Is  a  courier  who  knows  the  country  well  needed,  Sir 
Gervaise?"  the  lieutenant  demanded  modestly,  though  with 
an  interest  that  showed  he  was  influenced  only  by  zeal  for 
the  service. 

The  admiral  looked  at  him  intently  for  a  moment,  and 
seemed  pleased  with  the  hint  implied  in  the  question. 

"Can  you  ride?"  asked  Sir  Gervaise,  smiling.  "I  could 
have  brought  half-a-dozen  youngsters  ashore  with  me ;  but, 
besides  the  doubts  about  getting  a  horse — a  chaise,  I  take 
it,  is  out  of  the  question  here — I  was  afraid  the  lads  might 
disgrace  themselves  on  horseback," 

"This  must  be  said  in  pleasantry,  Sir  Gervaise,"  returned 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  59 

Wychecombe;  "he  would  be  a  strange  Virginian  at  least, 
who  does  not  know  how  to  ride!" 

"And  a  strange  Englishman,  too,  Bluewater  would  say; 
and  yet  I  never  see  the  fellow  straddle  a  horse  that  I  do  not 
wish  it  were  a  studding-sail  boom  run  out  to  leeward!  We 
sa.iloTs/a/iry  we  ride,  Mr.  Wychecombe,  but  it  is  some  such 
fancy  as  a  marine  has  for  the  foretopmast  cross-trees.  Can 
a  horse  be  had,  to  go  as  far  as  the  nearest  post-office  that 
sends  off  a  daily  mail.'*" 

"  That  can  it.  Sir  Gervaise,"  put  in  Sir  Wycherly.  "  Here 
is  Dick  mounted  on  as  good  a  hunter  as  is  to  be  found  in 
England;  and  I'll  answer  for  my  young  namesake's  willing- 
ness to  put  the  animal's  mettle  to  the  proof.  Our  little  mail 
has  just  left  Wychecombe  for  the  next  twenty-four  hours, 
but  by  pushing  the  beast  there  will  be  time  to  reach  the 
high  road  in  season  for  the  great  London  mail,  which 
passes  the  nearest  market-town  at  noon.  It  is  but  a  gallop 
of  ten  miles  and  back,  and  that  I'll  answer  for  Mr.  Wyche- 
combe's  ability  to  do,  and  to  join  us  at  dinner  by  four." 

Young  Wychecombe  expressing  his  readiness  to  perform 
all  this,  and  even  more  at  need,  the  arrangement  was  soon 
made.  Dick  was  dismounted,  the  lieutenant  got  his  de- 
spatches and  his  instructions,  took  his  leave,  and  had  gal- 
loped out  of  sight  in  the  next  five  minutes.  The  admiral 
then  declared  himself  at  liberty  for  the  day,  accepting  the 
invitation  of  Sir  Wycherly  to  breakfast  and  dine  at  the  Hall, 
in  the  same  spirit  of  frankness  as  that  in  which  it  had  been 
given.  Sir  Wycherly  was  so  spirited  as  to  refuse  the  aid  of 
his  pony,  but  insisted  on  walking  through  the  village  and 
park  to  his  dwelling,  though  the  distance  was  more  than  a 
mile.  Just  as  they  were  quitting  the  signal-station,  the  old 
man  took  the  admiral  aside,  and  in  an  earnest  but  respectful 
manner  disburdened  his  mind  to  the  following  effect. 

"Sir  Gervaise,"  he  said,  "I  am  no  sailor,  as  you  know, 
and  least  of  all  do  I  bear  His  Majesty's  commission  in  the 
navy,  though  I  am  in  the  county  commission  as  a  justice  of 


60  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

the  peace;  so  if  I  make  any  little  mistake  you  will  have  the 
goodness  to  overlook  it,  for  I  know  that  the  etiquette  of  the 
quarter-deck  is  a  very  serious  matter,  and  is  not  to  be  trifled 
with; — but  here  is  Button,  as  good  a  fellow  in  his  way  as 
lives — his  father  was  a  sort  of  a  gentleman  too,  having  been 
the  attorney  of  the  neighborhood,  and  the  old  man  was  ac- 
customed to  dine  with  me  forty  years  ago " 

"  I  believe  I  understand  you,  Sir  Wycherly,"  interrupted 
the  admiral ;  "  and  I  thank  you  for  the  attention  you  wish  to 
pay  my  prejudices;  but  you  are  master  of  Wychecombe,  and 
I  should  feel  myself  a  troublesome  intruder,  indeed,  did  you 
not  ask  whom  you  please  to  dine  at  your  own  table." 

"That's  not  quite  it,  Sir  Gervaise,  though  you  have  not 
gone  far  wide  of  the  mark.  Button  is  only  a  master,  you 
know;  and  it  seems  that  a  master  on  board  ship  is  a  very 
different  thing  from  a  master  on  shore ;  so  Button  himself 
has  often  told  me." 

"Ay,  Button  is  right  enough  as  regards  a  king's  ship, 
though  the  two  offices  are  pretty  much  the  same  when  other 
craft  are  alluded  to.  But,  my  dear  Sir  Wycherly,  an  admi- 
ral is  not  disgraced  by  keeping  company  with  a  boatswain, 
if  the  latter  is  an  honest  man.  It  is  true  we  have  our  cus- 
toms, and  what  we  call  our  quarter-deck  and  forward  offi- 
cers; which  is  court  end  and  city,  on  board  ship;  but  a 
master  belongs  to  the  first,  and  the  master  of  the  Plantage- 
net,  Sandy  McYarn,  dines  with  me  once  a  month,  as  regu- 
larly as  he  enters  a  new  word  at  the  top  of  his  log-book.  I 
beg,  therefore,  you  will  extend  your  hospitality  to  whom  you 
please — or "  the  admiral  hesitated,  as  he  cast  a  good- 
natured  glance  at  the  master,  who  stood  still  uncovered, 
waiting  for  his  superior  to  move  away;  "or,  perhaps,  Sir 
Wycherly,  you  would  permit  me  to  ask  a  friend  to  make  one 
of  our  party." 

"That's  just  it.  Sir  Gervaise,"  returned  the  kind-hearted 
baronet;  "and  Button  will  be  one  of  the  happiest  fellows 
in  Bevonshire.     I  wish  we  could  have  Mrs.  Button  and 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  6 1 

Milly,  and  then  the  table  would  look  what  my  poor  brother 
James — St.  James  I  used  to  call  him — what  the  Rev.  James 
Wychecombe  was  accustomed  to  term  mathematical.  He 
said  a  table  should  have  all  its  sides  and  angles  duly  filled. 
James  was  a  most  agreeable  companion,  Sir  Gervaise,  and, 
in  divinity,  he  would  not  have  turned  his  back  on  one  of 
the  apostles,  I  do  verily  believe!" 

The  admiral  bowed,  and,  turning  to  the  master,  he  invited 
him  to  be  of  the  party  at  the  Hall,  in  the  manner  which  one 
long  accustomed  to  render  his  civilities  agreeable  by  a  sort 
of  professional  off-handed  way  well  knew  how  to  assume. 

"  Sir  Wycherly  has  insisted  that  I  shall  consider  his  table 
as  set  in  my  own  cabin,"  he  continued;  "and  I  know  of  no 
better  manner  of  proving  my  gratitude  than  by  taking  him 
at  his  word,  and  filling  it  with  guests  that  will  be  agreeable 
to  us  both.  I  believe  there  is  a  Mrs.  Button  and  a  Miss — 
a—a— a " 

"Milly,"  put  in  the  baronet  eagerly;  "Miss  Mildred 
Button — the  daughter  of  our  good  friend  Button,  here,  and 
a  young  lady  who  would  do  credit  to  the  gayest  drawing- 
room  in  London." 

"You  perceive,  sir,  that  our  kind  host  anticipates  the 
wishes  of  an  old  bachelor,  as  it  might  be  by  instinct,  and 
desires  the  company  of  the  ladies  also.  Miss  Mildred  will, 
at  least,  have  two  young  men  to  do  homage  to  her  beauty, 
and  three  old  ones  to  sigh  in  the  distance — hey!  Atwood?" 

"Mildred,  as  Sir  Wycherly  knows,  sir,  has  been  a  little 
disturbed  this  morning,"  returned  Button,  putting  on  his 
best  manner  for  the  occasion;  "but,  I  feel  no  doubt,  will  be 
too  grateful  for  this  honor,  not  to  exert  herself  to  make  a 
suitable  return.     As  for  my  wife,  gentlemen " 

"  And  what  is  to  prevent  Mrs.  Button  from  being  one  of 
the  party,"  interrupted  Sir  Wycherly,  as  he  observed  the 
husband  to  hesitate;  "she  sometimes  favors  me  with  her 
company." 

"I  rather  think  she  will  to-day,  Sir  Wycherly,  if  Mildred 


62  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

is  well  enough  to  go;  the  good  woman  seldom  lets  her 
daughter  stray  far  from  her  apron-strings.  She  keeps  her, 
as  I  tell  her,  within  the  sweep  of  her  own  hawse,  Sir  Ger- 
vaise." 

"  So  much  the  wiser  she,  Master  Button,"  returned  the 
admiral  pointedly.  "  The  best  pilot  for  a  young  woman  is 
a  good  mother;  and  now  you  have  a  fleet  in  your  roadstead, 
I  need  not  tell  a  seaman  of  your  experience  that  you  are  on 
pilot-ground — hey!  Atwood?" 

Here  the  parties  separated,  Button  remaining  uncovered 
until  his  superior  had  turned  the  corner  of  his  little  cottage 
and  was  fairly  out  of  sight.  Then  the  master  entered  his 
dwelling  to  prepare  his  wife  and  daughter  for  the  honors 
they  had  in  perspective.  Before  he  executed  this  duty, 
however,  the  unfortunate  man  opened  what  he  called  a  locker 
— what  a  housewife  would  term  a  cupboard — and  fortified 
his  nerves  with  a  strong  draught  of  pure  Nantes;  a  liquor 
that  no  hostilities,  custom-house  duties,  or  national  antipa- 
thies has  ever  been  able  to  bring  into  general  disrepute  in 
the  British  Islands.  In  the  mean  time  the  party  of  the  two 
baronets  pursued  its  way  toward  the  Hall. 

The  village  or  hamlet  of  Wychecombe  lay  about  half-way 
between  the  station  and  the  residence  of  the  lord  of  the 
manor.  It  was  an  exceedingly  rural  and  retired  collection 
of  mean  houses,  possessing  neither  physician,  apothecary, 
nor  attorney,  to  give  it  importance.  A  small  inn,  two  or 
three  shops  of  the  humblest  kind,  and  some  twenty  cottages 
of  laborers  and  mechanics,  composed  the  place,  which  at  that 
early  day  had  not  even  a  chapel  or  a  conventicle;  dissent 
not  having  made  much  progress  then  in  England.  The 
parish  church,  one  of  the  old  edifices  of  the  time  of  the 
Henrys,  stood  quite  alone,  in  a  field,  more  than  a  mile  from 
the  place;  and  the  vicarage,  a  respectable  abode,  was  just 
on  the  edge  of  the  park,  fully  half  a  mile  more  distant.  In 
short,  Wychecombe  was  one  of  those  places  which  was  so 
far  on  the  decline  that  few  or  no  traces  of  any  little  impor- 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  63 

tance  it  may  have  once  possessed  were  any  longer  to  be  dis- 
covered; and  it  had  sunk  entirely  into  a  hamlet  that  owed 
its  allowed  claims  to  be  marked  on  the  maps,  and  to  be 
noted  in  the  gazetteers,  altogether  to  its  antiquity  and  the 
name  it  had  given  to  one  of  the  oldest  knightly  families  in 
England. 

No  w^onder,  then,  that  the  arrival  of  a  fleet  under  the  head 
produced  a  great  excitement  in  the  little  village.  The  an- 
chorage was  excellent,  so  far  as  the  bottom  was  concerned, 
but  it  could  scarcely  be  called  a  roadstead  in  any  other  point 
of  view,  since  there  was  shelter  against  no  wind  but  that 
which  blew  directly  offshore,  which  happened  to  be  a  wind 
that  did  not  prevail  in  that  part  of  the  island.  Occasion- 
ally a  small  cruiser  would  come-to  in  the  offing,  and  a  ftw 
frigates  had  lain  at  single  anchors  in  the  roads  for  a  tide  or 
so,  in  waiting  for  a  change  of  weather;  but  this  was  the  first 
fleet  that  had  been  known  to  moor  under  the  cliffs  within 
the  memory  of  man.  The  fog  had  prevented  the  honest  vil- 
lagers from  ascertaining  the  unexpected  honor  that  had  been 
done  them,  until  the  reports  of  the  two  guns  reached  their 
ears,  when  the  important  intelligence  spread  with  due  rapid- 
ity over  the  entire  adjacent  country.  Although  Wychecombe 
did  not  lie  in  actual  view  of  the  sea,  by  the  time  the  party 
of  Sir  Wycherly  entered  the  hamlet  its  little  street  was 
already  crowded  with  visitors  from  the  fleet ;  every  vessel 
having  sent  at  least  one  boat  ashore,  and  many  of  them  some 
three  or  four.  Captain's  and  gunroom  stewards,  midship- 
men's foragers,  loblolly  boys,  and  other  similar  harpies,  were 
out  in  scores;  for  this  was  a  part  of  the  world  in  which 
bumboats  were  unknown;  and  if  the  mountain  would  not 
come  to  Mahomet,  Mahomet  must  fain  go  to  the  mountain. 
Half  an  hour  had  sufficed  to  exhaust  all  the  unsophisticated 
simplicity  of  the  hamlet;  and  milk,  eggs,  fresh  butter,  soft- 
tommy,  vegetables,  and  such  fruits  as  were  ripe  had  already 
risen  quite  one  hundred  per  cent,  in  the  market. 

Sir  Gervaise  had  called  his  force  the  southern  squadron, 


64  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

from  the  circumstance  of  its  having  been  cruising  in  the  Bay 
of  Biscay  for  the  last  six  months.  This  was  a  wild  winter- 
station,  the  danger  from  the  elements  greatly  surpassing  any 
that  could  well  be  anticipated  from  the  enemy.  The  duty 
notwithstanding  had  been  well  and  closely  performed;  sev- 
eral West  India  and  one  valuable  East  India  convoy  having 
been  effectually  protected,  as  well  as  a  few  straggling  fri'g- 
ates  of  the  enemy  picked  up;  but  the  service  had  been  ex- 
cessively laborious  to  all  engaged  in  it,  and  replete  with 
privations.  Most  of  those  who  now  landed  had  not  trod 
terra  firma  for  half  a  year,  and  it  was  not  wonderful  that  all 
the  officers  whose  duties  did  not  confine  them  to  the  vessels 
gladly  seized  the  occasion  to  feast  their  senses  with  the  ver- 
dure and  odors  of  their  native  island.  Quite  a  hundred 
guests  of  this  character  were  also  pouring  into  the  street  of 
Wychecombe,  or  spreading  themselves  among  the  surround- 
ing farmhouses;  flirting  with  the  awkward  and  blushing 
girls,  and  keeping  an  eye  at  the  same  time  to  the  main  chance 
of  the  mess-table. 

"  Our  boys  have  already  found  out  your  village,  Sir 
Wycherly,  in  spite  of  the  fog,"  the  vice-admiral  remarked 
good-humoredly,  as  he  cast  his  eyes  around  at  the  movement 
of  the  street;  "and  the  locusts  of  Egypt  will  not  come 
nearer  to  breeding  a  famine.  One  would  think  there  was  a 
great  dinner  in  petto ^  in  every  cabin  of  the  fleet,  by  the 
number  of  the  captain's  stewards  that  are  ashore,  hey !  At- 
wood?  I  have  seen  nine  of  the  harpies  myself,  and  the 
other  seven  can't  be  far  off." 

"  Here  is  Galleygo,  Sir  Gervaise,"  returned  the  secretary, 
smiling;  "though  he  can  scarcely  be  called  a  captain's 
steward,  having  the  honor  to  serve  a  vice-admiral  and  a 
commander-in-chief." 

"  Ay,  but  7ve  feed  the  whole  fleet  at  times,  and  have  some 
excuse  for  being  a  little  exacting — harkee,  Galleygo — get  a 
horse-cart,  and  push  off  at  once,  four  or  five  miles  further 
into  the  country ;  you  might  as  well  expect  to  find  real  pearls 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  6$ 

in  fishes  eyes  as  hope  to  pick  up  anything  nice  among  so 
many  gunroom  and  cockpit  boys.  I  dine  ashore  to-day,  but 
Captain  Greenly  is  fond  of  mutton-chops,  you'll  remember." 
This  was  said  kindly,  and  in  the  manner  of  a  man  accus- 
tomed to  treat  his  domestics  with  the  familiarity  of  humble 
friends.  Galleygo  was  as  unpromising  a  looking  butler  as 
any  gentleman  ashore  would  be  at  all  likely  to  tolerate;  but 
he  had  been  with  his  present  master,  and  in  his  present  ca- 
pacity, ever  since  the  latter  had  commanded  a  sloop  of  war. 
All  his  youth  had  been  passed  as  a  topman,  and  he  was 
really  a  prime  seaman;  but  accident  having  temporarily 
placed  him  in  his  present  station.  Captain  Oakes  was  so 
much  pleased  with  his  attention  to  his  duty,  and  particularly 
with  his  order,  that  he  ever  afterwards  retained  him  in  his 
cabin,  notwithstanding  the  strong  desire  the  honest  fellow 
himself  had  felt  to  remain  aloft.  Time  and  familiarity  at 
length  reconciled  the  steward  to  his  station,  though  he  did 
not  formally  accept  it,  until  a  clear  agreement  had  been 
made  that  he  was  not  to  be  considered  an  idler  on  any  occa- 
sion that  called  for  the  services  of  the  best  men.  In  this 
manner  David,  for  such  was  his  Christian  name,  had  become 
a  sort  of  nondescript  on  board  of  a  man-of-war;  being  fore- 
most in  all  the  cuttings  out,  a  captain  of  a  gun,  and  was  fre- 
quently seen  on  a  yard  in  moments  of  difficulty,  just  to  keep 
his  hand  in,  as  he  expressed  it,  while  he  descended  to  the 
duties  of  the  cabin  in  peaceable  times  and  good  weather. 
Near  thirty  years  had  he  thus  been  half-steward,  half-sea- 
man when  afloat,  while  on  land  he  was  rather  a  counsellor 
and  minister  of  the  closet  than  a  servant;  for  out  of  a  ship 
he  was  utterly  useless,  though  he  never  left  his  master  for  a 
week  at  a  time,  ashore  or  afloat.  The  name  of  Galleygo  was 
a  sobriquet  conferred  by  his  brother  topmen,  but  had  been 
so  generally  used  that  for  the  last  twenty  years  most  of  his 
shipmates  believed  it  to  be  his  patronymic.  When  this 
compound  of  cabin  and  forecastle  received  the  order  just 
related,  he  touched  the  lock  of  hair  on  his  forehead,  a  cere- 
5 


66  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

mony  he  always  used  before  he  spoke  to  Sir  Gervaise,  the 
hat  being  removed  at  some  three  or  four  yards'  distance, 
and  made  his  customary  answer  of : 

"Ay-ay,  sir — your  honor  has  been  a  young  gentleman 
yourself,  and  knows  what  a  young  gentleman's  stomach  gets 
to  be,  a'ter  a  six  months'  fast  in  the  Bay  of  Biscay ;  and  a 
young  gentleman's  l^oys  stomach,  too.  I  always  thinks 
there's  but  a  small  chance  for  us,  sir,  when  I  sees  six  or 
eight  of  them  light  cruisers  in  my  neighborhood.  They're 
som'mat  like  the  sloops  and  cutters  of  a  fleet,  which  picks 
up  all  the  prizes." 

"Quite  true.  Master  Galleygo;  but  if  the  light  cruisers 
get  the  prizes,  you  should  recollect  that  the  admiral  always 
has  his  share  of  the  prize-money." 

"  Yes,  sir,  I  knows  we  has  our  share,  but  that's  accordin* 
to  law,  and  because  the  commanders  of  the  light  craft  can't 
help  it.  Let  'em  once  get  the  law  on  their  side,  and  not  a 
ha'pence  would  bless  our  pockets!  No,  sir,  what  we  gets 
we  gets  by  the  law ;  and  as  there  is  no  law  to  fetch  up  young 
gentlemen  or  their  boys,  that  pays  as  they  goes,  we  never 
gets  anything  they  or  their  boys  puts  hands  on." 

"  I  dare  say  you  are  right,  David,  as  you  always  are.  It 
wouldn't  be  a  bad  thing  to  have  an  act  of  Parliament  to 
give  an  admiral  his  twentieth  in  the  reefers'  foragings. 
The  old  fellows  would  sometimes  get  back  some  of  their 
own  poultry  and  fruit  in  that  way,  hey!  Atwood?" 

The  secretary  smiled  his  assent,  and  then  Sir  Gervaise 
apologized  to  his  host,  repeated  the  order  to  the  steward, 
and  the  party  proceeded. 

"  This  fellow  of  mine,  Sir  Wycherly,  is  no  respecter  of 
persons,  beyond  the  etiquette  of  a  man-of-war,"  the  admiral 
continued,  by  way  of  further  excuse.  "  I  believe  His  Maj- 
esty himself  would  be  favored  with  an  essay  on  some  part 
of  the  economy  of  the  cabin,  were  Galleygo  to  get  an  oppor- 
tunity of  speaking  his  mind  to  him.  Nor  is  the  fool  with- 
out his  expectations  of  some  day  enjoying  this  privilege; 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  6/ 

for  the  last  time  I  went  to  court  I  found  honest  David 
rigged,  from  stem  to  stern,  in  a  full  suit  of  claret  and  steel, 
under  the  idea  that  he  was  *  to  sail  in  company  with  me,*  as 
he  called  it,  *  with  or  without  signal ! '  " 

"  There  was  nothing  surprising  in  that,  Sir  Gervaise," 
observed  the  secretary.  "Galleygo  has  sailed  in  company 
with  you  so  long,  and  to  so  many  strange  lands;  has  been 
through  so  many  dangers  at  your  side,  and  has  got  so  com- 
pletely to  consider  himself  as  part  of  the  family,  that  it  was 
the  most  natural  thing  in  the  world  he  should  expect  to  go 
to  court  with  you." 

"True  enough.  The  fellow  would  face  the  devil,  at  my 
side,  and  I  don't  see  why  he  should  hesitate  to  face  the 
king.  I  sometimes  call  him  Lady  Oakes,  Sir  Wycherly,  for 
he  appears  to  think  he  has  a  right  of  dower,  or  to  some  other 
lawyer-like  claim  on  my  estate;  and  as  for  the  fleet,  he 
always  speaks  of  that  as  if  we  commanded  it  in  common. 
I  wonder  how  Bluewater  tolerates  the  blackguard;  for  he 
never  scruples  to  allude  to  him  as  under  our  orders!  If 
anything  should  befall  me,  Dick  and  David  would  have  a 
civil  war  for  the  succession,  hey!  Atwood?" 

"  I  think  military  subordination  would  bring  Galleygo  to 
his  senses.  Sir  Gervaise,  should  such  an  unfortunate  acci- 
dent occur — which  Heaven  avert  for  many  years  to  come ! 
There  is  Admiral  Bluewater  coming  up  the  street,  at  this 
very  moment,  sir." 

At  this  sudden  announcement,  the  whole  party  turned  to 
look  in  the  direction  intimated  by  the  secretary.  It  was  by 
this  time  at  one  end  of  the  short  street,  and  all  saw  a  man 
just  entering  the  other,  who,  in  his  walk,  air,  attire,  and 
manner,  formed  a  striking  contrast  to  the  active,  merry, 
bustling,  youthful  young  sailors  who  thronged  the  hamlet. 
In  person,  Admiral  Bluewater  was  exceedingly  tall  and  ex- 
ceedingly thin.  Like  most  seamen  who  have  that  physical 
formation,  he  stooped ;  a  circumstance  that  gave  his  years  a 
greater  apparent  command  over  his  frame  than  they  pos- 


68  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

sessed  in  reality.  While  this  bend  in  his  figure  deprived 
it,  in  a  great  measure,  of  the  sturdy  martial  air  that  his  su- 
perior presented  to  the  observer,  it  lent  to  his  carriage  a 
quiet  and  dignity  that  it  might  otherwise  have  wanted.  Cer- 
tainly, were  this  officer  attired  like  an  ordinary  civilian,  no 
one  would  have  taken  him  for  one  of  England's  bravest  and 
most  efficient  sea-captains ;  he  would  have  passed  rather  as 
some  thoughtful,  well-educated,  and  refined  gentleman,  of 
retired  habits,  diffident  of  himself,  and  a  stranger  to  am- 
bition. He  wore  an  undress  rear-admiral's  uniform,  as  a 
matter  of  course ;  but  he  wore  it  carelessly,  as  if  from  a 
sense  of  duty  only;  or  conscious  that  no  arrangement  could 
give  him  a  military  air.  Still  all  about  his  person  was 
faultlessly  neat,  and  perfectly  respectable.  In  a  word,  no 
one  but  a  man  accustomed  to  the  sea,  were  it  not  for  his 
uniform,  would  suspect  the  rear-admiral  of  being  a  sailor; 
and  even  the  seaman  himself  might  be  often  puzzled  to  de- 
tect any  other  signs  of  the  profession  about  him  than  were 
to  be  found  in  a  face,  which,  fair,  gentlemanly,  handsome, 
and  even  courtly  as  it  was,  in  expression  and  outline,  wore 
the  tint  that  exposure  invariably  stamps  on  the  mariner's 
countenance.  Here,  however,  his  unseaman-like  character 
ceased.  Admiral  Oakes  had  often  declared  that  "  Dick 
Bluewater  knew  more  about  a  ship  than  any  man  in  Eng- 
land;" and  as  for  a  fleet,  his  mode  of  manoeuvring  one  had 
got  to  be  standard  in  the  service. 

As  soon  as  Sir  Gervaise  recognized  his  friend,  he  ex- 
pressed a  wish  to  wait  for  him,  which  was  courteously  con- 
verted by  Sir  Wycherly  into  a  proposition  to  return  and 
meet  him.  So  abstracted  was  Admiral  Bluewater,  however, 
that  he  did  not  see  the  party  that  was  approaching  him, 
until  he  was  fairly  accosted  by  Sir  Gervaise,  who  led  the 
advance  by  a  few  yards. 

"Good-day  to  you,  Bluewater,"  commenced  the  latter,  in 
his  familiar,  off-hand  way;  "I'm  glad  you  have  torn  your- 
self away  from  your  ship ;   though  I  must  say  the  manner  in 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  69 

which  you  came-to,  in  that  fog,  was  more  like  instinct,  than 
anything  human!  I  determined  to  tell  you  as  much,  the 
moment  we  met;  for  I  don't  think  there  is  a  ship  half  her 
length  out  of  mathematical  order,  notwithstanding  the  tide 
runs,  here,  like  a  race-horse." 

"That  is  owing  to  your  captains,  Sir  Gervaise,"  returned 
the  other,  observing  the  respect  of  manner  that  the  in- 
ferior never  loses  with  his  superior,  on  service,  and  in 
a  navy,  let  their  relative  rank  and  intimacy  be  what 
they  may  on  all  other  occasions;  "good  captains  make 
handy  ships.  Our  gentlemen  have  now  been  together  so 
long  that  they  understand  each  other's  movements;  and 
every  vessel  in  the  fleet  has  her  character  as  well  as  her 
commander!" 

"  Vtiy  true,  Admiral  Bluewater^  and  yet  there  is  not  an- 
other otticer  in  His  Majesty's  service  that  could  have 
brought  a  fleet  to  anchor,  in  so  much  order,  and  in  such  a 
fog;  and  I  ask  your  leave,  sir,  most  particularly  to  thank 
you  for  the  lesson  you  have  given,  not  only  to  the  captains, 
but  to  the  commander-in-chief.  I  presume  I  may  admire 
that  which  I  cannot  exactly  imitate." 

The  rear-admiral  merely  smiled  and  touched  his  hat  in 
acknowledgment  of  the  compliment,  but  he  made  no  direct 
answer  in  words.  By  this  time  Sir  Wycherly  and  the  others 
had  approached,  and  the  customary  introductions  took  place. 
Sir  Wycherly  now  pressed  his  new  acquaintance  to  join  his 
guests,  with  so  much  heartiness  that  there  was  no  such  thing 
as  refusing. 

"Since  you  and  Sir  Gervaise  both  insist  on  it  so  ear- 
nestly, Sir  Wycherly,"  returned  the  rear-admiral,  "  I  must 
consent;  but  as  it  is  contrary  to  our  practice,  when  on  for- 
eign service — and  I  call  this  roadstead  a  foreign  station,  as 
to  anything  we  know  about  it — as  it  is  contrary  to  our  prac- 
tice for  both  flag-officers  to  sleep  out  of  the  fleet,  I  shall 
claim  the  privilege  to  be  allowed  to  go  off  to  my  ship  be- 
fore midnight.     I  think  the  weather  looks  settled,  Sir  Ger- 


yO  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

vaise,  and  we  may  trust  that  many  hours,  without  apprehen- 
sion." 

"  Pooh — pooh — Bluewater,  you  are  always  fancying  the 
ships  in  a  gale,  and  clawing  off  a  lee-shore.  Put  your  heart 
at  rest,  and  let  us  go  and  take  a  comfortable  dinner  with  Sir 
Wycherly,  who  has  a  London  paper,  I  dare  to  say,  that  may 
let  us  into  some  of  the  secrets  of  state.  Are  there  any  tid- 
ings from  our  people  in  Flanders?" 

"Things  remain  pretty  much  as  they  have  been,"  re- 
turned Sir  Wycherly,  "  since  that  last  terrible  affair,  in 
which  the  Duke  got  the  better  of  the  French  at — I  never 
can  remember  an  outlandish  name ;  but  it  sounds  something 
like  a  Christian  baptism.  If  my  poor  brother,  St.  James, 
were  living,  now,  he  could  tell  us  all  about  it." 

"Christian  baptism!  That's  an  odd  allusion  for  a  field 
of  battle.  The  armies  can't  have  got  to  Jerusalem;  hey! 
Atwood?" 

"I  rather  think.  Sir  Gervaise,"  the  secretary  coolly  re- 
marked, "that  Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe  refers  to  the  bat- 
tle that  took  place  last  spring — it  was  fought  at  Font- 
something  ;  and  a  font  certainly  has  something  to  do  with 
Christian  baptism." 

"That's  it— that's  it,"  cried  Sir  Wycherly,  with  some 
eagerness ;  "  Fontenoy  was  the  name  of  the  place,  where  the 
Duke  would  have  carried  all  before  him,  and  brought  Mar- 
shal Saxe  and  all  his  frog-eaters  prisoners  to  England,  had 
our  Dutch  and  German  allies  behaved  better  than  they  did. 
So  it  is  with  poor  old  England,  gentlemen;  whatever  she 
gains,  her  allies  always  lose  for  her — the  Germans,  or  the 
colonists,  are  constantly  getting  us  into  trouble!" 

Both  Sir  Gervaise  and  his  friend  were  practical  men,  and 
well  knew  that  they  never  fought  the  Dutch  or  the  French 
without  meeting  with  something  that  was  pretty  nearly  their 
match.  They  had  no  faith  in  general  national  superiority. 
The  courts-martial  that  so  often  succeeded  general  actions 
had  taught  them  that  there  were  all  degrees  of  spirit,  as 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  /I 

well  as  all  degrees  of  a  want  of  spirit;  and  they  knew  too 
much  to  be  the  dupes  of  flourishes  of  the  pen,  or  of  vapid 
declamation  at  dinner-speeches,  and  in  the  House  of  Com- 
mons. Men,  well  led  and  commanded,  they  had  ascertained 
by  experience,  were  worth  twice  as  much  as  the  same  men 
when  ill  led  and  ill  commanded;  and  they  were  not  to  be 
told  that  the  moral  tone  of  an  army  or  a  fleet,  from  which 
all  its  success  was  derived,  depended  more  on  the  conven- 
tional feeling  that  had  been  got  up  through  moral  agencies, 
than  on  birthplace,  origin,  or  color.  Each  glanced  his  eye 
significantly  at  the  other,  and  a  sarcastic  smile  passed  over 
the  face  of  Sir  Gervaise,  though  his  friend  maintained  his 
customary  appearance  of  gravity. 

*'  I  believe  le  Grand  Monarque  and  Marshal  Saxe  give  a 
different  account  of  that  matter.  Sir  Wycherly,"  drily  ob- 
served the  former;  "and  it  may  be  well  to  remember  that 
there  are  two  sides  to  every  story.  Whatever  may  be  said 
of  Dettingen,  I  fancy  history  will  set  down  Fontenoy  as  any- 
thing but  a  feather  in  His  Royal  Highness'  cap." 

"  You  surely  do  not  consider  it  possible  for  the  French 
arms  to  overthrow  a  British  army.  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes!"  ex- 
claimed the  simple-minded  provincial — for  such  was  Sir 
Wycherly  Wychecombe,  though  he  had  sat  in  Parliament, 
had  four  thousand  a  year,  and  was  one  of  the  oldest  families 
in  England — "  It  sounds  like  treason  to  admit  the  possibil- 
ity of  such  a  thing." 

"  God  bless  us,  my  dear  sir,  I  am  as  far  from  supposing 
any  such  thing  as  the  Duke  of  Cumberland  himself;  who, 
by  the  way,  has  as  much  English  blood  in  his  veins  as  the 
Baltic  may  have  of  the  water  of  the  Mediterranean — hey! 
Atwood?  By  the  way,  Sir  Wycherly,  I  must  ask  a  little 
tenderness  of  you  in  behalf  of  my  friend  the  secretary,  here, 
who  has  a  national  weakness  in  favor  of  the  Pretender, 
and  all  of  the  clan  Stuart." 

"I  hope  not — I  sincerely  hope  not.  Sir  Gervaise!"  ex- 
claimed Sir  Wycherly,  with  a  warmth  that  was  not  entirely 


72  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

free  from  alarm ;  his  own  loyalty  to  the  new  house  being 
altogether  without  reproach.  "  Mr.  Atwood  has  the  air  of  a 
gentleman  of  too  good  principles  not  to  see  on  which  side 
real  religious  and  political  liberty  lie.  I  am  sure  you  are 
pleased  to  be  jocular,  Sir  Gervaise;  the  very  circumstance 
that  he  is  in  your  company  is  a  pledge  of  his  loyalty." 

"Well,  well,  Sir  Wycherly,  I  would  not  give  you  a  false 
idea  of  my  friend  Atwood,  if  possible;  and  so  I  may  as  well 
confess  that,  while  his  Scotch  blood  inclines  him  to  tory- 
ism,  his  English  reason  makes  him  a  whig.  If  Charles 
Stuart  never  gets  the  throne  until  Stephen  Atwood  helps 
him  to  a  seat  on  it,  he  may  take  leave  of  ambition  forever." 

"I  thought  as  much,  Sir  Gervaise — I  thought  j'our  secre- 
tary could  never  lean  to  the  doctrine  of  'passive  obedience 
and  non-resistance.'  That's  a  principle  which  would  hardly 
suit  sailors.  Admiral  Bluewater." 

Admiral  Bluewater's  fine,  full,  blue  eye  lighted  with  an 
expression  approaching  irony ;  but  he  made  no  other  answer 
than  a  slight  inclination  of  the  head.  In  point  of  fact,  ^e 
was  a  Jacobite;  though  no  one  was  acquainted  with  the  cir- 
cumstance but  his  immediate  commanding  officer.  As  a 
seaman  he  was  called  on  only  to  serve  his  country;  and,  as 
often  happens  to  military  men,  he  was  willing  to  do  this 
under  any  superior  whom  circumstances  might  place  over 
his  head,  let  his  private  sentiments  be  what  they  might. 
During  the  civil  war  of  17 15,  he  was  too  young  in  years, 
and  too  low  in  rank,  to  render  his  opinions  of  much  impor- 
tance; and,  kept  on  foreign  stations,  his  services  could  only 
affect  the  general  interests  of  the  nation,  without  producing 
any  influence  on  the  contest  at  home.  Since  that  period, 
nothing  had  occurred  to  require  one  whose  duty  kept  him 
on  the  ocean  to  come  to  a  very  positive  decision  between 
the  two  masters  that  claimed  his  allegiance.  Sir  Gervaise 
had  always  been  able  to  persuade  him  that  he  was  sustain- 
ing the  honor  and  interests  of  his  country,  and  that  ought 
to  be  sufficient  to  a  patriot,  let  who  would  rule.     Notwith- 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  73 

Standing  this  wide  difference  in  political  feeling  between 
the  two  admirals — Sir  Gervaise  being  as  decided  a  whig  as 
his  friend  was  a  tory — their  personal  harmony  had  been 
without  a  shade.  As  to  confidence,  the  superior  knew  the 
inferior  so  well  that  he  believed  the  surest  way  to  prevent 
his  taking  sides  openly  with  the  Jacobites,  or  of  doing  them 
secret  service,  was  to  put  it  in  his  power  to  commit  a  great 
breach  of  trust.  So  long  as  faith  were  put  in  his  integrity, 
Sir  Gervaise  felt  certain  his  friend  Bluewater  might  be  re- 
lied on;  and  he  also  knew  that,  should  the  moment  ever 
come  when  the  other  really  intended  to  abandon  the  service 
of  the  house  of  Hanover,  he  would  frankly  throw  up  his  em- 
ployments, and  join  the  hostile  standard,  without  profiting, 
in  any  manner,  by  the  trusts  he  had  previously  enjoyed.  It 
is  also  necessary  that  the  reader  should  understand  that  Ad- 
miral Bluewater  had  never  communicated  his  political  opin- 
ions to  any  person  but  his  friend;  the  Pretender  and  his 
counsellors  being  as  ignorant  of  them  as  George  II.  and 
his  ministers.  The  only  practical  effect,  therefore,  that 
they  had  ever  produced  was  to  induce  him  to  decline  sepa- 
rate commands,  several  of  which  had  been  offered  to  him ; 
one,  quite  equal  to  that  enjoyed  by  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes 
himself. 

"No,"  the  latter  answered  to  Sir  Wycherly's  remark; 
though  the  grave,  thoughtful  expression  of  his  face  showtid 
how  little  his  feelings  chimed  in,  at  the  moment,  with  the 
ironical  language  of  his  tongue.  "  No — Sir  Wycherly,  a 
man-of-war's  man,  in  particular,  has  not  the  slightest  idea 
of  'passive  obedience  and  non-resistance,' — that  is  a  doc- 
trine which  is  intelligible  only  to  papists  and  tories.  Blue- 
water  is  in  a  brown  study ;  thinking  no  doubt  of  the  manner 
in  which  he  intends  to  lead  down  on  Monsieur  de  Gravelin, 
should  we  ever  have  the  luck  to  meet  that  gentleman  again ; 
so  we  will,  if  it's  agreeable  to  all  parties,  change  the  subject." 

"With  all  my  heart,  Sir  Gervaise,"  answered  the  baronet, 
cordially;    "and,  after  all,  there  is  little  use  in  discussing 


74  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

the  affair  of  the  Pretender  any  longer,  for  he  appears  to  be 
quite  out  of  men's  minds,  since  that  last  failure  of  King 
Louis  XV." 

"  Yes,  Norris  rather  crushed  the  young  viper  in  its  shell, 
and  we  may  consider  the  thing  at  an  end." 

"  So  my  late  brother.  Baron  Wychecombe,  always  treated 
it,  Sir  Gervaise.  He  once  assured  me  that  the  twelve  judges 
were  clearly  against  the  claim,  and  that  the  Stuarts  had  noth- 
ing to  expect  from  them.^^ 

"  Did  he  tell  you,  sir,  on  what  ground  these  learned  gen- 
tlemen had  come  to  this  decision?"  quietly  asked  Admiral 
Bluewater. 

"  He  did,  indeed;  for  he  knew  my  strong  desire  to  make 
out  a  good  case  against  the  tories  so  well  that  he  laid  all 
the  law  before  me.  I  am  a  bad  hand,  however,  to  repeat 
even  what  I  hear;  though  my  poor  brother,  the  late  Rev. 
James  Wychecombe — St.  James  as  I  used  to  call  him — -could 
go  over  a  discourse  half  an  hour  long,  and  not  miss  a  word. 
Thomas  and  James  appear  to  have  run  away  with  the  mem- 
ories of  the  rest  of  the  family.  Nevertheless,  I  recollect  it 
all  depended  on  an  act  of  Parliament,  which  is  supreme; 
and  the  house  of  Hanover  reigning  by  an  act  of  Parliament, 
no  court  could  set  aside  the  claim." 

"  Very  clearly  explained,  sir,"  continued  Bluewater ;  "  and 
you  will  permit  me  to  say  that  there  was  no  necessity  for  an 
apology  on  account  of  the  memory.  Your  brother,  however, 
might  not  have  exactly  explained  what  an  act  of  Parliament 
is.  King,  Lords,  and  Commons  are  all  necessary  to  an  act 
of  Parliament." 

"  Certainly — we  all  know  that,  my  dear  admiral ;  we  poor 
fellows  ashore  here,  as  well  as  you  mariners  at  sea.  The 
Hanoverian  succession  had  all  three  to  authorize  it." 

"Had  it  a  king?" 

"A  king!  Out  of  dispute — or,  what  we  bachelors  ought 
to  consider  as  much  better,  it  had  a  queen.  Queen  Anne 
approved  of  the  act,  and  tha:^  made  it  an  act  of  Parliament. 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  75 

I  assure  you,  I  learned  a  good  deal  of  law  in  the  Baron's 
visits  to  Wychecombe,  and  in  the  pleasant  hours  we  used 
to  chat  together  in  his  chambers!" 

"  And  who  signed  the  act  of  Parliament  that  made  Anne 
a  queen  ?  or  did  she  ascend  the  throne  by  regular  succes- 
sion? Both  Mary  and  Anne  were  sovereigns  by  acts  of 
Parliament,  and  we  must  look  back  until  we  get  the  ap- 
proval of  a  prince  who  took  the  crown  by  legal  descent." 

"Come — come,  Bluewater,"  put  in  Sir  Gervaise  gravely; 
"we  may  persuade  Sir  Wycherly,  in  this  manner,  that  he 
has  a  couple  of  furious  Jacobites  in  company.  The  Stuarts 
were  dethroned  by  a  revolution,  which  is  a  law  of  nature, 
and  enacted  by  God,  and  which  of  course  overshadows  all 
other  laws  when  it  gets  into  the  ascendant,  as  it  clearly  has 
done  in  this  case.  I  take  it.  Sir  Wycherly,  these  are  your 
park-gates,  and  that  yonder  is  the  Hall." 

This  remark  changed  the  discourse,  and  the  whole  party 
proceeded  towards  the  house,  discussing  the  beauty  of  its 
position,  its  history,  and  its  advantages,  until  they  reached 
its  door. 


CHAPTER    V. 


'  Monarch  and  ministers,  are  awful  names: 
Whoever  wear  them,  challenge  our  devoir." 

Our  plan  does  not  require  an  elaborate  description  of  the 
residence  of  Sir  Wycherly.  The  house  had  been  neither 
priory,  abbey,  nor  castle,  but  it  was  erected  as  a  dwelling 
for  himself  and  his  posterity,  by  a  Sir  Michael  Wychecombe, 
two  or  three  centuries  before,  and  had  been  kept  in  good 
serviceable  condition  ever  since.  It  had  the  usual  long, 
narrow  windows,  a  suitable  hall,  wainscoted  rooms,  battle- 
mented  walls,  and  turreted  angles.  It  was  neither  large, 
nor  small;    handsome,  nor  ugly;    grand,  nor  mean,    but  it 


76  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

was  quaint,  respectable  in  appearance,  and  comfortable  as 
an  abode. 

The  admirals  were  put  each  in  possession  of  bed-cham- 
bers and  dressing-rooms,  as  soon  as  they  arrived ;  and  At- 
v;ood  was  berthed  not  far  from  his  commanding  officer,  in 
readiness  for  service,  if  required.  Sir  Wycherly  was  nat- 
urally hospitable;  but  his  retired  situation  had  given  him  a 
zest  for  company  that  greatly  increased  the  inborn  disposi- 
tion. Sir  Gervaise,  it  was  understood,  was  to  pass  the  night 
with  him,  and  he  entertained  strong  hopes  of  including  his 
friend  in  the  same  arrangement.  Beds  were  ordered,  too, 
for  Dutton,  his  wife,  and  daughter;  and  his  namesake,  the 
lieutenant,  was  expected  also  to  sleep  under  his  roof  that 
night. 

The  day  passed  in  the  customary  manner;  the  party  hav- 
ing breakfasted,  and  then  separated  to  attend  to  their  sev- 
eral occupations,  agreeably  to  the  usages  of  all  country- 
houses,  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  and,  we  believe,  in  all 
time.  Sir  Gervaise,  who  had  sent  a  messenger  off  to  the 
Plantagenet  for  certain  papers,  spent  the  morning  in  writ- 
ing; Admiral  Bluewater  walked  in  the  park,  by  himself; 
Atwood  was  occupied  with  his  superior;  Sir  Wycherly  rode 
among  his  laborers;  and  Tom  Wychecombe  took  a  rod, 
and  pretended  to  go  forth  to  fish,  though  he  actually  held 
his  way  back  to  the  headland,  lingering  in  and  around  the 
cottage  until  it  was  time  to  return  home.  At  the  proper 
hour,  Sir  Wycherly  sent  his  chariot  for  the  ladies;  and  a 
few  minutes  before  the  appointed  moment  the  party  began 
to  assemble  in  the  drawing-room. 

When  Sir  Wycherly  appeared,  he  found  the  Buttons  al- 
ready in  possession,  with  Tom  doing  the  honors  of  the 
house.  Of  the  sailing-master  and  his  daughter,  it  is  un- 
necessary to  say  more  than  that  the  former  was  in  his  best 
uniform — an  exceedingly  plain  one,  as  was  then  the  case 
with  the  M'hole  naval  wardrobe — and  that  the  last  had  re- 
covered  from  her  illness,  as  was  evident  by  the  bloom  that 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  77 

the  sensitive  blushes  constantly  cast  athwart  her  lovely  face. 
Her  attire  was  exactly  what  it  ought  to  have  been;  neat, 
simple,  and  becoming.  In  honor  of  the  host,  she  wore  her 
best;  but  this  was  what  became  her  station,  though  a  little 
jewelry  that  rather  surpassed  what  might  have  been  expected 
in  a  girl  of  her  rank  of  life  threw  around  her  person  an  air 
of  modest  elegance.  Mrs.  Button  was  a  plain,  matronly 
woman — the  daughter  of  a  land-steward  of  a  nobleman  in 
the  same  county — with  an  air  of  great  mental  suffering, 
from  griefs  she  had  never  yet  exposed  to  the  heartless  sym- 
pathy of  the  world. 

The  baronet  was  so  much  in  the  habit  of  seeing  his  hum- 
ble neighbors  that  an  intimacy  had  grown  up  between 
them.  Sir  Wycherly,  who  was  anything  but  an  acute  ob- 
server, felt  an  interest  in  the  melancholy  looking  and  almost 
heart-broken  mother,  without  knowing  why;  or  certainly 
without  suspecting  the  real  character  of  her  habitual  sad- 
ness; while  Mildred's  youth  and  beauty  had  not  failed  of 
producing  the  customary  effect  of  making  a  friend  of  the 
old  bachelor.  He  shook  hands  all  round,  therefore,  with 
great  cordiality;  expressing  his  joy  at  meeting  Mrs.  Button, 
and  congratulating  the  daughter  on  her  complete  recovery. 

''  I  see  Tom  has  been  attentive  to  his  duty,"  he  added, 
"while  I've  been  detained  by  a  silly  fellow  about  a  com- 
plaint against  a  poacher.  My  namesake,  young  Wycherly, 
has  not  got  back  yet,  though  it  is  quite  two  hours  past  his 
time;  and  Mr.  Atwood  tells  me  the  admiral  is  a  little  un- 
easy about  his  despatches.  I  tell  him  Mr.  Wycherly  Wyche- 
combe,  though  I  have  not  the  honor  of  ranking  him  among 
my  relatives,  and  he  is  only  a  Virginian  by  birth,  is  a  young 
man  to  be  relied  on;  and  that  the  despatches  are  safe,  let 
what  may  detain  the  courier." 

"  And  why  should  not  a  Virginian  be  every  way  as  trust- 
worthy and  prompt  as  an  Englishman,  Sir  Wycherly?"  asked 
Mrs.  Button.  "  He  is  an  Englishman,  merely  separated 
from  us  by  the  water." 


78  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

This  was  said  mildly,  or  in  the  manner  of  one  accustomed 
to  speak  under  a  rebuked  feeling;  but  it  was  said  earnestly, 
and  perhaps  a  little  reproachfully,  while  the  speaker's  eye 
glanced  with  natural  interest  toward  the  beautiful  face  of 
her  daughter. 

"  Why  not,  sure  enough,  my  dear  Mrs.  Button !"  echoed 
the  baronet.  "They  are  Englishmen,  like  ourselves,  only 
born  out  of  the  realm,  as  it  might  be,  and  no  doubt  a  little 
different  on  that  account.  They  are  fellow-subjects,  Mrs. 
Button,  and  that  is  a  great  deal.  Then  they  are  miracles 
of  loyalty,  there  being  scarcely  a  Jacobite,  as  they  tell  me, 
in  all  the  colonies." 

"  Mr.  Wycherly  Wychecombe  is  a  very  respectable  young 
gentleman,"  said  Button ;  "  and  I  hear  he  is  a  prime  sea- 
man for  his  years.  He  has  not  the  honor  of  being  related 
to  this  distinguished  family,  like  Mr.  Thomas,  here,  it  is 
true;  but  he  is  likely  to  make  a  name  for  himself.  Should 
he  get  a  ship,  and  do  as  handsome  things  in  her  as  he  has 
done  already.  His  Majesty  would  probably  knight  him ;  and 
then  we  should  have  tivo  Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombes!" 

"I  hope  not — I  hope  not!"  exclaimed  the  baronet;  "I 
think  there  must  be  a  law  against  that.  As  it  is,  I  shall  be 
obliged  to  put  Bart,  after  my  name,  as  my  worthy  grand- 
father used  to  do,  in  order  to  prevent  confusion ;  but  Eng- 
land can't  bear  two  Sir  Wycherlys,  any  more  than  the  world 
can  bear  two  suns.  Is  not  that  your  opinion,  Miss  Mil- 
dred?" 

The  baronet  had  laughed  at  his  own  allusion,  showing  he 
spoke  half  jocularly;  but,  as  his  question  was  put  in  too 
direct  a  manner  to  escape  general  attention,  the  confused 
girl  was  obliged  to  answer. 

"  I  dare  say  Mr.  Wychecombe  will  never  reach  a  rank 
high  enough  to  cause  any  such  difficulty,"  she  said;  and  it 
was  said  in  all  sincerity;  for,  unconsciously  perhaps,  she 
secretly  hoped  that  no  difference  so  wide  might  ever  be  cre- 
ated between  the  youth  and  herself.     "  If  he  should,  I  sup- 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  79 

pose  his  rights  would  be  as  good  as  another's,  and  he  must 
keep  his  name." 

"  In  such  a  case,  which  is  invprobable  enough,  as  Miss 
Mildred  has  so  well  observed,"  put  in  Tom  Wychecombe, 
"  we  should  have  to  submit  to  the  knighthood^  for  that  comes 
from  the  king,  who  might  knight  a  chimney-sweep,  if  he  see 
fit;  but  a  question  might  be  raised  as  to  the  name.  It  is 
bad  enough  as  it  is;  but  if  it  really  got  to  be  two  Sir  Wych- 
erlys,  I  think  my  dear  uncle  would  be  wrong  to  submit  to 
such  an  invasion  of  what  one  might  call  his  individuality, 
without  making  some  inquiry  as  to  the  right  of  the  gentle- 
man to  one  or  both  his  names.  The  result  might  show  that 
the  king  had  made  a  Sir  Something  Nobody." 

The  sneer  and  spite  with  which  this  was  uttered  were  too 
marked  to  escape  notice;  and  both  Dutton  and  his  wife  felt 
it  would  be  unpleasant  to  mingle  farther  in  the  discourse. 
Still  the  last,  submissive,  rebuked,  and  heart-broken  as  she 
was,  felt  a  glow  on  her  own  pale  cheek,  as  she  saw  the  col- 
or mount  in  the  face  of  Mildred,  and  she  detected  the 
strong  impulses  that  urged  the  generous  girl  herself  to 
answer. 

"  We  have  now  known  Mr.  Wychecombe  several  months," 
observed  Mildred,  fastening  her  full,  blue  eye  calmly  on 
Tom's  sinister-looking  face;  ^' and  we  have  never  known 
anything  to  ca«se  us  to  think  he  would  bear  a  name — or 
names — that  he  does  not  at  least  think  he  has  a  right  to." 

This  was  said  gently,  but  so  distinctly,  that  every  word 
entered  fairly  into  Tom  Wychecombe's  soul ;  who  threw  a 
quick,  suspicious  glance  at  the  lovely  speaker,  as  if  to  ascer- 
tain how  far  she  intended  any  allusion  to  himself.  Meeting 
with  no  other  expression  than  that  of  generous  interest,  he 
recovered  his  self-command,  and  made  his  reply  with  suffi- 
cient coolness. 

"Upon  my  word,  Mrs.  Dutton,"  he  cried,  laughing;  "we 
young  men  will  all  of  us  have  to  get  over  the  cliff,  and  hang 
dangling  at  the  end  of  a  rope,  in  order  to  awaken  an  interest 


80  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

in  Miss  Mildred,  to  defend  us  when  our  backs  are  turned. 
So  eloquent — and  most  especially,  so  lovely,  so  charming 
an  advocate,  is  almost  certain  of  success;  and  my  uncle  and 
myself  must  admit  the  absent  gentleman's  right  to  our  name ; 
though,  heaven  be  praised,  he  has  not  yet  got  either  the  title 
or  the  estate." 

"  I  hope  I  have  said  nothing.  Sir  Wycherly,  to  displease 
yoii^''  returned  Mildred,  with  emphasis;  though  her  face  was 
a  thousand  times  handsomer  than  ever,  with  the  blushes  that 
suffused  it.  "Nothing  would  pain  me  more  than  to  sup- 
pose I  had  done  so  improper  a  thing.  I  merely  meant  that 
we  cannot  believe  Mr.  Wycherly  Wychecombe  would  will- 
ingly take  a  name  he  had  no  right  to." 

"  My  little  dear,"  said  the  baronet,  taking  the  hand  of  the 
distressed  girl,  and  kissing  her  cheek,  as  he  had  often  done 
before,  with  fatherly  tenderness ;  "  it  is  not  an  easy  matter 
for  you  to  offend  me;  and  I'm  sure  the  young  fellow  is 
quite  welcome  to  both  my  names,  if  you  wish  him  to  have 
'em." 

"And  I  merely  meant,  Miss  Mildred,"  resumed  Tom,  who 
feared  he  might  have  gone  too  far,  "  that  the  young  gentle- 
man— quite  without  any  fault  of  his  own — is  probably  igno- 
rant how  he  came  by  two  names  that  have  so  long  pertained 
to  the  head  of  an  ancient  and  honorable  family.  There  is 
many  a  young  man  born,  who  is  worthy  of  being  an  earl, 

but  whom  the  law  considers "  here  Tom  paused  to  choose 

terms  suitable  for  his  auditor,  when  the  baronet  added: 

"  A  Jilius  fiullius — that's  the  phrase,  Tom — I  had  it  from. 
your  own  father's  mouth." 

Tom  Wychecombe  started,  and  looked  furtively  around 
him,  as  if  to  ascertain  who  suspected  the  truth.  Then  he 
continued,  anxious  to  regain  the  ground  he  feared  he  had 
lost  in  Mildred's  favor. 

'"''  Filius  nullius  means.  Miss  Mildred,  exactly  what  I  wish 
to  express;  a  family  without  any  legal  origin.  They  tell 
me,  however,  that  in  the  colonies,  nothing  is  more  common 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  8 1 

than  for  people  to  take  the  names  of  the  great  families  at 
home,  and  after  a  while  they  fancy  themselves  related." 

"  I  never  heard  Mr.  Wycherly  Wychecombe  say  a  word  to 
lead  us  to  suppose  that  he  was,  in  any  manner,  connected 
with  this  family,  sir,"  returned  Mildred  calmly,  but  quite 
distinctly. 

"  Did  you  ever  hear  him  say  he  was  not^  Miss  Mildred?" 

"I  cannot  say  I  ever  did,  Mr.  Wychecombe.  It  is  a  sub- 
ject that  has  seldom  been  introduced  in  my  hearing." 

"But  it  has  often  been  introduced  in  his!  I  declare,  Sir 
Wycherly,  it  has  struck  me  as  singular  that,  while  you  and 
I  have  so  very  frequently  stated  in  the  presence  of  this  gen- 
tleman that  our  families  are  in  no  way  connected,  he  has 
never,  in  any  manner,  not  even  by  a  nod  or  a  look  of  appro- 
bation, assented  to  what  he  must  certainly  know  to  be  the 
case.  But  I  suppose,  like  a  true  colonist,  he  was  unwilling 
to  give  up  this  hold  on  the  old  stock." 

Here  the  entrance  of  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  changed  the  dis- 
course. The  vice-admiral  joined  the  party  in  good  spirits, 
as  is  apt  to  be  the  case  with  men  who  have  been  much  occu- 
pied with  affairs  of  moment,  and  who  meet  relaxation  with 
a  consciousness  of  having  done  their  duty. 

"  If  one  could  take  with  him  to  sea  the  comforts  of  such 
a  house  as  this.  Sir  Wycherly,  and  such  handsome  faces  as 
your  own,  young  lady,"  cried  Sir  Gervaise  cheerfully,  after 
he  had  made  his  salutations;  "  there  would  be  an  end  of  our 
exclusiveness,  for  every  petit  maitre  of  Paris  and  London 
would  turn  sailor,  as  a  matter  of  course.  Six  months  in  the 
Bay  of  Biscay  gives  an  old  fellow,  like  myself,  a  keen  relish 
for  these  enjoyments,  as  hunger  makes  any  meat  palatable; 
though  I  am  far,  very  far,  indeed,  from  putting  this  house 
or  this  company  on  a  level  with  an  indifferent  feast,  even 
for  an  epicure." 

"  Such  as  it  is.  Sir  Gervaise,  the  first  is  quite  at  your  ser- 
vice, in  all  things,"  rejoined  the  host;    "and  the  last  will 
do  all  in  its  power  to  make  itself  agreeable." 
6 


82  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"  Ah — here  comes  Bluewater  to  echo  all  I  have  said  and 
feel.  I  am  telling  Sir  Wycherly  and  the  ladies,  of  the  satis- 
faction we  grampuses  experience  when  we  get  berthed  under 
such  a  roof  as  this,  with  woman's  sweet  face  to  throw  a  gleam 
of  happiness  around  her." 

Admiral  Bluewater  had  already  saluted  the  mother,  but 
when  his  eye  fell  on  the  face  and  person  of  Mildred,  it  was 
riveted,  for  an  instant,  with  an  earnestness  and  intentness 
of  surprise  and  admiration  that  all  noted,  though  no  one 
saw  fit  to  comment  on  it. 

"  Sir  Gervaise  is  so  established  an  admirer  of  the  sex," 
said  the  rear-admiral,  recovering  himself,  after  a  pause, 
"that  I  am  never  astonished  at  any  of  his  raptures.  Salt 
water  has  the  usual  effect  on  him,  however ;  for  I  have  now 
known  him  longer  than  he  might  wish  to  be  reminded  of, 
and  yet  the  only  mistress  who  can  keep  him  true  is  his 
ship." 

"  And  to  that  I  believe  I  may  be  said  to  be  constant.  I 
don't  know  how  it  is  with  you.  Sir  Wycherly,  but  everything 
I  am  accustomed  to  I  like.  Now,  here  I  have  sailed  with 
both  these  gentlemen,  until  I  should  as  soon  think  of  going 
to  sea  without  a  binnacle  as  to  go  to  sea  without  'em  both 
— hey,  Atwood?  Then,  as  to  the  ship,  my  flag  has  been 
flying  in  the  Plantagenet  these  ten  years,  and  I  can't  bear 
to  give  the  old  craft  up,  though  Bluewater,  here,  would  have 
turned  her  over  to  an  inferior  after  three  years'  service.  I 
tell  all  the  young  men  they  don't  stay  long  enough  in  any 
one  vessel  to  find  out  her  good  qualities.  I  never  was  in  a 
slow  ship  yet." 

"  For  the  simple  reason  that  you  never  get  into  a  fast  one, 
that  you  do  not  wear  her  fairly  out,  before  you  give  her  up. 
The  Plantagenet,  Sir  Wycherly,  is  the  fastest  two-decker  in 
His  Majesty's  service,  and  the  vice-admiral  knows  it  too 
well  to  let  any  of  us  get  foot  in  her,  while  her  timbers  will 
hang  together." 

"Let  it  be  so,  if  you  will;    it  only  shows,  Sir  Wycherly, 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  8$ 

that  I  do  not  choose  my  friends  for  their  bad  qualities. 
But,  allow  me  to  ask,  young  lady,  if  you  happen  to  know  a 
certain  Mr.  Wycherly  Wychecombe — a  namesake,  but  no 
relative,  I  understand,  of  our  respectable  host — and  one 
who  holds  a  commission  in  Plis  Majesty's  service?" 

"  Certainly,  Sir  Gervaise,"  answered  Mildred,  dropping 
her  eyes  to  the  floor,  and  trembling,  though  she  scarce  knew 
why ;  "  Mr.  Wychecombe  has  been  about  here,  now,  for  some 
months  and  we  all  know  something  of  him." 

''  Then,  perhaps  you  can  tell  me  whether  he  is  generally 
a  loiterer  on  duty.  I  do  not  inquire  whether  he  is  a  lag- 
gard in  his  duty  to  you,  but  whether,  mounted  on  a  good 
hunter,  he  could  get  over  twenty  miles,  in  eight  or  ten  hours, 
for  instance?" 

"  I  think  Sir  Wycherly  would  tell  you  that  he  could,  sir." 

"  He  may  be  a  Wychecombe,  Sir  Wycherly,  but  he  is  no 
Plantagenet,  in  the  way  of  sailing.  Surely  the  young  gen- 
tleman ought  to  have  returned  some  hours  since!" 

"  It's  quite  surprising  to  me  that  he  is  not  back  before 
this,"  returned  the  kind-hearted  baronet.  "  He  is  active, 
and  understands  himself,  and  there  is  not  a  better  horseman 
in  the  county — is  there.  Miss  Mildred?" 

Mildred  did  not  think  it  necessary  to  reply  to  this  direct 
appeal ;  but  spite  of  the  manner  in  which  she  had  been  en- 
deavoring to  school  her  feelings  since  the  accident  on  the 
cliff,  she  could  not  prevent  the  deadly  paleness  that  dread 
of  some  accident  had  produced,  or  the  rush  of  color  to  her 
cheeks  that  followed  from  the  unexpected  question  of  Sir 
Wycherly.  Turning  to  conceal  her  confusion,  she  met  the 
eye  of  Tom  Wychecombe  riveted  on  her  face,  with  an  ex- 
pression so  sinister  that  it  caused  her  to  tremble.  Fortu- 
nately, at  this  moment,  Sir  Gervaise  turned  away,  and,  draw- 
ing near  his  friend,  on  the  other  side  of  the  large  apartment, 
he  said  in  an  undertone: 

"Luckily,  Atwood  has  brought  ashore  a  duplicate  of  my 
despatches,  Bluewater,  and,  if  this  dilatory  gentleman  does 


84  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

not  return  by  the  time  we  have  dined,  I  will  send  off  a  sec- 
ond courier.  The  intelligence  is  too  important  to  be  trifled 
with;  and  after  having  brought  the  fleet  north,  to  be  in 
readiness  to  serve  the  state  in  this  emergency,  it  would  be 
rare  folly  to  leave  the  ministry  in  ignorance  of  the  reasons 
why  I  have  done  it." 

"  Nevertheless,  they  would  be  almost  as  well-informed 
as  I  am  myself,"  returned  the  rear-admiral,  with  a  little 
point,  but  quite  without  any  bitterness  of  manner.  "  The 
only  advantage  I  have  over  them  is  that  I  do  know  where 
the  fleet  is,  which  is  more  than  the  First  Lord  can  boast  of." 

"  True — I  had  forgot,  my  friend — but  you  must  feel  that 
there  is  a  subject  on  which  I  had  better  not  consult  you.  I 
have  received  some  important  intelligence,  that  my  duty,  as 
a  commander-in-chief,  renders  it  necessary  I  should — keep 
to  myself." 

Sir  Gervaise  laughed  as  he  concluded,  though  he  seemed 
vexed  and  embarrassed.  Admiral  Bluewater  betrayed  nei- 
ther chagrin,  nor  disappointment;  but  strong,  nearly  un- 
governable curiosity,  a  feeling  from  w'nch  he  was  singularly 
exempt  in  general,  glowed  in  his  eyes,  and  lighted  his  whole 
countenance.  Still,  habitual  submission  to  his  superior, 
and  the  self-command  uf  discipline,  enabled  him  to  wait 
for  anything  more  that  his  friend  might  communicate.  At 
this  moment,  the  door  opened,  and  Wycherly  entered  the 
room,  in  the  state  in  which  he  had  just  dismounted.  It  was 
necessary  to  throw  but  a  single  glance  at  his  hurried  man- 
ner, and  general  appearance,  to  know  that  he  had  something 
of  importance  to  communicate,  and  Sir  Gervaise  made  a 
sign  for  him  not  to  speak. 

"This  is  public  service.  Sir  Wycherly,"  said  the  vice- 
admiral,  "  and  I  hope  you  will  excuse  us  for  a  few  minutes. 
I  beg  this  good  company  will  be  seated  at  table,  as  soon  as 
dinner  is  served,  and  that  you  will  treat  us  as  old  friends — 
as  I  should  treat  you,  if  we  were  on  board  the  Plantagenet. 
Admiral  Bluewater,  will  you  be  of  our  conference?" 


THE  TWO  ADMIRALS.  85 

Nothing  more  was  said  until  the  two  admirals  and  the 
young  lieutenant  were  in  the  dressing-room  of  Sir  Gervaise 
Oakes.  Then  the  latter  turned  and  addressed  Wycherly, 
with  the  manner  of  a  superior. 

"  I  should  have  met  you  with  a  reproof,  for  this  delay, 
young  gentleman,"  he  commenced,  "  did  I  not  suspect,  from 
your  appearance,  that  something  of  moment  has  occurred  to 
produce  it.  Had  the  mail  passed  the  market-town,  before 
you  reached  it,  sir?" 

"It  had  not.  Admiral  Oakes;  and  I  have  the  satisfaction 
of  knowing  that  your  despatches  are  now  several  hours  on 
their  way  to  London.  I  reached  the  office  just  in  season  to 
see  them  mailed." 

"Humph!  On  board  the  Plantagenet  it  is  the  custom 
for  an  officer  to  report  any  important  duty  done,  as  soon  as 
it  is  in  a  condition  to  be  thus  laid  before  the  superior!" 

"  I  presume  that  is  the  usage  in  all  His  Majesty's  ships, 
Sir  Gervaise  Oakes;  but  I  have  been  taught  that  a  proper 
discretion,  when  it  does  not  interfere  with  positive  orders, 
and  sometimes  when  it  does,  is  a  surer  sign  of  a  useful  offi- 
cer than  even  the  most  slavish  attention  to  rules." 

"That  is  a  just  distinction,  young  gentleman,  though 
safer  in  the  hands  of  a  captain,  perhaps,  than  in  those  of  a 
lieutenant,"  returned  the  vice-admiral,  glancing  at  his  friend, 
though  he  secretly  admired  the  youth's  spirit.  "  Discretion 
is  a  comparative  term;  meaning  different  things  with 
different  persons.  May  I  presume  to  ask  what  Mr. 
Wycherly  Wychecombe  calls  discretion,  in  the  present 
instance?" 

"  You  have  every  right,  sir,  to  know,  and  I  only  wanted 
your  permission  to  tell  my  whole  story.  While  waiting  to 
see  the  London  mail  start  with  your  despatches,  and  to  rest 
my  horse,  a  post-chaise  arrived  that  was  carrying  a  gentle- 
man, who  is  suspected  of  being  a  Jacobite,  to  his  country- 
seat,  some  thirty  miles  further  west.  This  gentleman  held 
a  secret  conference  with  another  person  of  the  same  way  of 


S6  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

thinking  as  himself;  and  there  was  so  much  running  and 
sending  of  messages  that  I  could  not  avoid  suspecting 
something  was  in  the  wind.  Going  to  the  stable  to  look 
after  Sir  Wycherly's  hunter,  for  I  knew  how  much  he  values 
the  animal,  I  found  one  of  the  stranger's  servants  in  dis- 
course with  the  ostler.  The  latter  told  me,  when  the  chaise 
had  gone,  that  great  tidings  had  reached  Exeter,  before  the 
travellers  quitted  the  town.  These  tidings  he  described  as 
news  that  'Charley  was  no  longer  over  the  water.*  It  was 
useless,  Sir  Gervaise,  to  question  one  so  stupid;  and,  at  the 
inn,  though  all  observed  the  manner  of  the  traveller  and  his 
visitor,  no  one  could  tell  me  anything  positive.  Under  the 
circumstances,  therefore,  I  threw  myself  into  the  return 
chaise,  and  went  as  far  as  Fowey,  where  I  met  the  important 
intelligence  that  Prince  Charles  has  actually  landed,  and  is 
at  this  moment  up,  in  Scotland!" 

"The  Pretender  is  then  really  once  more  among  us!"  ex- 
claimed Sir  Gervaise,  like  one  who  had  half  suspected  the 
truth. 

"  Not  the  Pretender,  Sir  Gervaise,  as  I  understand  the 
news;  but  his  young  son.  Prince  Charles  Edward,  one  much 
more  likely  to  give  the  kingdom  trouble.  The  fact  is  cer- 
tain, I  believe;  and  as  it  struck  me  that  it  might  be  impor- 
tant to  the  commander  of  so  fine  a  fleet  as  this  which  lies 
under  Wychecombe  Head  to  know  it,  I  lost  no  time  in 
getting  back  with  the  intelligence." 

"  You  have  done  well,  young  gentleman,  and  have  proved 
that  discretion  is  quite  as  useful  and  respectable  in  a  lieu- 
tenant as  it  can  possibly  prove  to  be  in  a  full  admiral  of 
the  white.  Go,  now,  and  make  yourself  fit  to  take  a  seat  by 
the  side  of  one  of  the  sweetest  girls  in  England,  where  I 
shall  expect  to  see  you,  in  fifteen  minutes.  Well,  Blue- 
water,"  he  continued,  as  soon  as  the  door  closed  on  Wych- 
erly;  "this  is  news,  of  a  certainty!" 

"It  is,  indeed;  and  I  take  it  to  be  the  news,  or  connected 
with  the  news,  that  you  have  sent  to  the  First  Lord,  in  the 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  8/ 

late  despatches.  It  has  not  taken  you  altogether  by  sur- 
prise, if  the  truth  were  said?" 

"  It  has  not,  I  confess.  You  know  what  excellent  intelli- 
gence we  have  had,  the  past  season,  from  the  Bordeaux 
agent;  he  sent  me  off  such  proofs  of  this  intended  expedi- 
tion that  I  thought  it  advisable  to  bring  the  fleet  north  on 
the  strength  of  it,  that  the  ships  might  be  used  as  the 
exigency  should  require." 

"  Thank  God,  it  is  a  long  way  to  Scotland,  and  it  is  not 
probable  we  can  reach  the  coast  of  that  country  until  all  is 
over!  I  wish  we  had  inquired  of  this  young  man  with  what 
sort  of  and  how  large  a  naval  force  the  prince  was  accom- 
panied.    Shall  I  send  for  him,  that  we  may  put  the  question  ?" 

*' It  is  better  that  you  remain  passive,  Admiral  Bluewater. 
I  now  promise  you  that  you  shall  learn  all  I  hear;  and  that, 
under  the  circumstances,  I  think  ought  to  content  you." 

The  two  admirals  now  separated,  though  neither  returned 
to  the  company  for  some  little  time.  The  intelligence  they 
had  just  learned  was  too  important  to  be  lightly  received, 
and  each  of  these  veteran  seamen  paced  his  room,  for  near 
a  quarter  of  an  hour,  reflecting  on  what  might  be  the  prob- 
able consequences  to  the  country  and  to  himself.  Sir  Ger- 
vaise  Oakes  expected  some  event  of  this  nature,  and  was 
less  taken  by  surprise  than  his  friend ;  still  he  viewed  the 
crisis  as  exceedingly  serious,  and  as  one  likely  to  destroy 
the  prosperity  of  the  nation,  as  well  as  the  peace  of  fam- 
ilies. There  was  then  in  England,  as  there  is  to-day,  and 
as  there  probably  will  be  throughout  all  time,  two  parties; 
one  of  which  clung  to  the  past  with  its  hereditary  and  ex- 
clusive privileges,  while  the  other  looked  more  toward 
change  for  anticipated  advantages  and  created  honors. 
Religion,  in  that  age,  was  made  the  stalking-horse  of  poli- 
ticians; as  is  liberty  on  one  side,  and  order  on  the  other,  in 
our  own  times;  and  men  just  as  blindly,  as  vehemently,  and 
as  regardlessly  of  principle,  submitted  to  party  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  eighteenth  century,  as  we  know  they  do  in  the 


88  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

middle  of  the  nineteenth.  The  mode  of  acting  was  a  little 
changed,  and  the  watchwords  and  rallying-points  were  not 
exactly  the  same,  it  is  true;  but,  in  all  that  relates  to  igno- 
rant confidence,  ferocious  denunciation,  and  selfishness  but 
half  concealed  under  the  cloak  of  patriotism,  the  England  of 
the  original  whigs  and  tories  was  the  England  of  conservatism 
and  reform,  and  the  America  of  1776  the  America  of  1841. 

Still  thousands  always  act,  in  political  struggles,  with  the 
fairest  intentions,  though  they  act  in  bitter  opposition  to  each 
other.  When  prejudice  becomes  the  stimulant  of  ignorance, 
no  other  result  may  be  hoped  for;  and  the  experience  of  the 
world,  in  the  management  of  human  affairs,  has  left  the  up- 
right and  intelligent  but  one  conclusion  as  the  reward  of  all 
the  pains  and  penalties  with  which  political  revolutions  have 
been  effected — the  conviction  that  no  institutions  can  be  in- 
vented, which  a  short  working  does  not  show  will  be  per- 
verted from  their  original  intention,  by  the  ingenuity  of 
those  entrusted  with  power.  In  a  word,  the  physical  con- 
stitution of  man  does  not  more  infallibly  tend  to  decrepitude 
and  imbecility,  imperiously  requiring  a  new  being  and  a 
new  existence,  to  fulfil  the  objects  of  his  creation,  than  the 
moral  constitutions  which  are  the  fruits  of  his  wisdom  con- 
tain the  seeds  of  abuses  and  decay,  that  human  selfishness 
will  be  as  certain  to  cultivate  as  human  indulgence  is  to 
aid  the  course  of  nature,  in  hastening  the  approaches  of 
death.  Thus,  while  on  the  one  hand,  there  exists  the  con- 
stant incentive  of  abuses  and  hopes  to  induce  us  to  wish  for 
modifications  of  the  social  structure,  on  the  other  there  stands 
the  experience  of  ages  to  demonstrate  their  insufficiency  to 
produce  the  happiness  we  aim  at.  If  the  world  advances  in 
civilization  and  humanity,  it  is  because  knowledge  will  pro- 
duce its  fruits  in  every  soil,  and  under  every  condition  of 
cultivation  and  improvement. 

Both  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  and  Admiral  Bluewater  believed 
themselves  to  be  purely  governed  by  principles,  in  submit- 
ting to  the  bias  that  each  felt  toward  the  conflicting  claims 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  89 

of  the  houses  of  Brunswick  and  Stuart.  Perhaps  no  two 
men  in  England  were  in  fact  less  influenced  by  motives  that 
they  ought  to  feel  ashamed  to  own ;  and  yet,  as  has  been 
seen,  while  they  thought  so  much  alike  on  most  other  things, 
on  this  they  were  diametrically  opposed  to  each  other.  Dur- 
ing the  many  years  of  arduous  and  delicate  duties  that  they 
had  served  together,  jealousy,  distrust,  and  discontent  had 
been  equally  strangers  to  their  bosoms,  for  each  had  ever 
felt  the  assurance  that  his  own  honor,  happiness,  and  inter- 
ests were  as  much  ruling  motives  with  his  friend  as  they 
could  well  be  with  himself.  Their  lives  had  been  constant 
scenes  of  mutual  but  unpretending  kindnesses;  and  this 
under  circumstances  that  naturally  awakened  all  the  most 
generous  and  manly  sentiments  of  their  natures.  When 
young  men,  their  laughing  messmates  had  nicknamed  them 
Pylades  and  Orestes;  and  later  in  life,  on  account  of  their 
cruising  so  much  in  company,  they  were  generally  known  in 
the  navy  as  the  "  twin  captains."  On  several  occasions  had 
they  fought  enemies'  frigates,  and  captured  them;  on  these 
occasions,  as  a  matter  of  course,  the  senior  of  the  two  be- 
came most  known  to  the  nation-  but  Sir  Gervaise  had  made 
the  most  generous  efforts  to  give  his  junior  a  full  share  of 
the  credit,  while  C  ptain  Bluewater  never  spoke  of  the 
affairs  without  mentioning  them  as  victories  of  the  commo- 
dore. In  a  word,  on  all  occasions,  and  under  all  circum- 
stances, it  appeared  to  be  the  aim  of  these  generous-minded 
and  gallant  seamen  to  serve  each  other,  nor  was  this  at- 
tempted with  any  effort,  or  striving  for  effect;  all  that  was 
said,  or  done,  coming  naturally  and  spontaneously  from  the 
heart.  But,  for  the  first  time  in  their  lives,  events  had  now 
occurred  which  threatened  a  jarring  of  the  feelings  between 
them,  if  they  did  not  lead  to  acts  which  must  inevitably 
place  them  in  open  and  declared  hostility  to  each  other. 
No  wonder,  then,  that  both  looked  at  the  future  with  gloomy 
forebodings,  and  a  distrust  which,  if  it  did  not  render  them 
unhappy,  at  least  produced  uneasiness. 


90  THE  TWO   ADMIRALS. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

"  The  circle  form'd,  we  sit  in  silent  state, 
Like  figures  drawn  upon  a  dial-plate  ; 
Yes,  ma'am,  and  no,  ma'am,  uttered  softly,  show, 
Every  five  minutes,  how  the  minutes  go." 

Cowper. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  tell  the  reader  that  England, 
as  regarded  material  civilization,  was  a  very  different  coun- 
try a  hundred  years  since,  from  what  it  is  to-day.  We  are 
writing  of  an  age  of  heavy  wagons,  coaches  and  six,  post- 
chaises  and  four ;  and  not  of  an  era  of  MacAdam  roads,  or 
of  cars  flying  along  by  steam.  A  man  may  now  post  down 
to  a  country-house,  some  sixty  or  eighty  miles,  to  dinner, 
and  this,  too,  by  the  aid  of  only  a  pair  of  horses;  but,  in 
1745  such  an  engagement  would  have  required  at  least  a 
start  on  the  previous  day ;  and,  in  many  parts  of  the  island, 
it  would  have  been  safer  to  have  taken  two  days'  grace. 
Scotland  was  then  farther  from  Devonshire,  in  effect,  than 
Geneva  is  now;  and  news  travelled  slowly,  and  with  the 
usual  exaggerations  and  uncertainties  of  delay.  It  was  no 
wonder,  then,  that  a  Jacobite  who  was  posting  off  to  his 
country-house — the  focus  of  an  English  landlord's  influence 
and  authority — filled  with  intelligence  that  had  reached  him 
through  the  activity  of  zealous  political  partisan,  preceded 
the  more  regular  tidings  of  the  mail  by  several  hours.  The 
little  that  had  escaped  this  individual,  or  his  servants  rather, 
for  the  gentleman  was  tolerably  discreet  himself,  confiding 
in  only  one  or  two  particular  friends  at  each  relay,  had  not 
got  out  to  the  world,  either  very  fully  or  very  clearly. 
Wycherly  had  used  intelligence  in  making  his  inquiries* 
and  he  had  observed  an  officer's  prudence  in  keeping  his 
news  for  the  ears  of  his  superior  alone.  When  Sir  Gervaise 
joined  the  party  in  the  drawing-room,  therefore,  he  saw  that 
Sir  Wycherly  knew  nothing  of  what  had  occurred  at  the 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  9I 

north;  and  he  intended  the  glance  which  he  directed  at  the 
lieutenant  to  convey  a  hearty  approval  of  his  discretion. 
This  forbearance  did  more  to  raise  the  young  officer  in  the 
opinion  of  the  practised  and  thoughtful  admiral  than  the 
gallantry  with  which  the  youth  had  so  recently  purchased 
his  commission ;  for,  while  many  were  brave,  few  hi  d  the 
self-command  and  prudence,  under  circumstances  like  the 
present,  that  alone  can  make  a  man  safe  in  the  management 
of  important  public  interests.  The  approbation  that  Sir 
Gervaise  felt,  and  which  he  desired  to  manifest,  for  Wych- 
erly's  prudence,  was  altogether  a  principle,  however;  since 
there  existed  no  sufficient  reason  for  keeping  the  secret  from 
as  confirmed  a  whig  as  his  host.  On  the  contrary,  the 
sooner  those  opinions,  which  both  of  them  would  be  apt  to 
term  sound,  were  promulgated  in  the  neighborhood,  the 
better  it  might  prove  for  the  good  cause.  The  vice-admiral, 
therefore,  determined  to  communicate  himself,  as  soon  as 
the  party  was  seated  at  table,  the  very  secret  which  he  so 
much  commended  the  youth  for  keeping.  Admiral  Blue- 
water  joining  the  company  at  this  instant.  Sir  Wycherly 
led  Mrs.  Button  to  the  table.  No  alteration  had  taken 
place  among  the  guests,  except  that  Sir  Gervaise  wore 
the  red  riband;  a  change  in  his  dress  that  his  friend 
considered  to  be  openly  hoisting  the  standard  of  the  house 
of  Hanover. 

"One  would  not  think.  Sir  Wycherly,"  commenced  the 
vice-admiral,  glancing  his  eyes  around  him,  as  soon  as  all 
were  seated,  "  that  this  good  company  has  taken  its  place 
at  your  hospitable  table,  in  the  midst  of  a  threatened  civil 
war,  if  not  of  an  actual  revolution." 

Every  hand  was  arrested,  and  every  eye  turned  towards 
the  speaker;  even  Admiral  Bluewater  earnestly  regarding 
his  friend,  anxious  to  know  what  would  come  next. 

"  I  believe  my  household  is  in  due  subjection,"  answered 
Sir  Wycherly,  gazing  to  the  right  and  left,  as  if  he  expected 
to  see  his  butler  heading  a  revolt,    "and  I  fancy  the  only 


92  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

change  we  shall  see  to-day  will  be  the  removal  of  the 
courses  and  the  appearance  of  their  successors." 

"  Ay,  so  says  the  hearty,  comfortable  Devonshire  baronet, 
while  seated  at  his  own  board,  favored  by  abundance  and 
warm  friends.  But  it  would  seem  the  snake  was  only 
scotched;  not  killed." 

"  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  has  grown  figurative,  with  his  snakes 
and  scotcIixYi^s^'  observed  the  rear-admiral,  a  little  drily. 

"  It  is  Scotch-\Xig^  as  you  say  with  so  much  emphasis.  Blue- 
water.  I  suppose,  Sir  Wycherly — I  suppose,  Mr.  Button, 
and  you,  my  pretty  young  lady — I  presume  all  of  you  have 
heard  of  such  a  person  as  the  Pretender; — some  of  you  may 
possibly  have  seen  him." 

Sir  Wycherly  now  dropped  his  knife  and  fork,  and  sat  gaz- 
ing at  the  speaker  in  amazement.  To  him  the  Christian 
religion,  the  liberties  of  the  subject — more  especially  of  the 
baronet  and  lord  of  the  manor,  who  had  four  thousand  a  year 
— and  the  Protestant  succession,  all  seemed  to  be  in  sudden 
danger. 

"  I  always  told  my  brother,  the  judge — Mr.  Baron  Wyche- 
combe,  who  is  dead  and  gone — that  what  between  the 
French,  that  rogue  the  Pope,  and  the  spurious  offspring  of 
King  James  II.,  we  should  yet  see  troublesome  times  in 
England!     And  now,  sir,  my  predictions  are  verified!" 

"  Not  as  to  England,  yet,  my  good  sir.  Of  Scotland  I 
have  not  quite  so  good  news  to  tell  you;  as  your  namesake, 
here,  brings  us  the  tidings  that  the  son  of  the  Pretender  has 
landed  in  that  kingdom,  and  is  rallying  the  clans.  He 
has  come  unattended  by  any  Frenchmen,  it  would  seem,  and 
has  thrown  himself  altogether  on  the  misguided  nobles  and 
followers  of  his  house." 

"  'Tis,  at  least,  a  chivalrous  and  princely  act!"  exclaimed 
Admiral  Bluewater. 

"  Yes — inasmuch  as  it  is  a  heedless  and  mad  one.  Eng- 
land is  not  to  be  conquered  by  a  rabble  of  half-dressed 
Scotchmen.'^ 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS-  93 

"True;  but  England  may  be  conquered  by  England,  not- 
withstanding." 

Sir  Gervaise  now  chose  to  remain  silent,  for  never  before 
had  Bluewater  come  so  near  betraying  his  political  bias,  in 
the  presence  of  third  persons.  This  pause  enabled  Sir 
Wycherly  to  find  his  voice. 

"  Let  me  see,  Tom,"  said  the  baronet,  "  fifteen  and  ten 
are  twenty-five,  and  ten  are  thirty,  and  ten  are  forty-five — it 
is  just  thirty  years  since  the  Jacobites  were  up  before!  It 
would  seem  that  half  a  human  life  is  not  sufficient  to  fill  the 
cravings  of  a  Scotchman's  maw  for  English  gold." 

"  Twice  thirty  years  would  hardly  quell  the  promptings 
of  a  noble  spirit,  when  his  notions  of  justice  showed  him 
the  way  to  the  English  throne,"  observed  Bluewater  coolly. 
"  For  my  part,  I  like  the  spirit  of  this  young  prince,  for  he 
who  nobly  dares  nobly  deserves.  What  say  you,  my  beau- 
tiful neighbor?" 

"  If  you  mean  to  address  me,  sir,  by  that  compliment," 
answered  Mildred  modestly,  but  with  the  emphasis  that  the 
gentlest  of  her  sex  are  apt  to  use  when  they  feel  strongly, 
"  I  must  be  suffered  to  say  that  I  hope  every  Englishman 
will  dare  as  nobly,  and  deserve  as  well  in  defejice  of  his 
liberties." 

"  Come — come,  Bluewater,"  interrupted  Sir  Gervaise,  with 
a  gravity  that  almost  amounted  to  reproof,  "  I  cannot  per- 
mit such  innuendoes  before  one  so  young  and  unpractised. 
The  young  lady  might  really  suppose  that  His  Majesty's 
fleet  was  entrusted  to  men  unworthy  to  enjoy  his  confidence, 
by  the  cool  way  in  which  you  carry  on  the  joke.  I  propose, 
now.  Sir  Wycherly,  that  we  eat  our  dinner  in  peace,  and  say 
no  more  about  this  mad  expedition,  until  the  cloth  is  drawn, 
at  least.  It's  a  long  road  to  Scotland,  and  there  is  little 
danger  that  this  adventurer  will  find  his  way  into  Devon- 
shire before  the  nuts  are  placed  before  us." 

''  It  would  be  nuts  to  us,  if  he  did.  Sir  Gervaise,"  put  in 
Tom   Wycherly,  laughing  heartily  at  his  own  wit.     "My 


94  '^'HE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

uncle  would  enjoy  nothing  more  than  to  see  the  spurious 
sovereign  on  his  own  estate,  here,  and  in  the  hands  of  his 
own  tenants.  I  think,  sir,  that  Wychecombe  and  one  or  two 
of  the  adjoining  manors  would  dispose  of  him." 

"  That  might  depend  on  circumstances,"  the  admiral  an- 
swered, a  little  drily.  "  These  Scots  have  such  a  thing  as  a 
claymore,  and  are  desperate  fellows,  they  tell  me,  at  a  charge. 
The  very  fact  of  arming  a  soldier  with  a  short  sword  shows 
a  most  bloody-minded  disposition." 

"  You  forget,  Sir  Gervaise,  that  we  have  our  Cornish  hug, 
here  in  the  west  of  England;  and  I  will  put  our  fellows 
against  any  Scotch  regiment  that  ever  charged  an  enemy." 

Tom  laughed  again  at  his  own  allusion  to  a  proverbial 
mode  of  grappling,  familiar  to  the  adjoining  county. 

"This  is  all  very  well,  Mr.  Thomas  Wychecombe,  so  long 
as  Devonshire  is  in  the  west  of  England,  and  Scotland  lies 
north  of  the  Tweed.  Sir  Wycherly  might  as  well  leave  the 
matter  in  the  hands  of  the  Duke  and  his  regulars,  if  it  were 
only  in  the  way  of  letting  every  man  follow  his  own  trade." 

"  It  strikes  me  as  so  singularly  insolent  in  a  base-born 
boy  like  this,  pretending  to  the  English  crown,  that  I  can 
barely  speak  of  him  with  patience!  We  all  know  that  his 
father  was  a  changeling,  and  the  son  of  a  changeling  can 
have  no  more  right  than  the  father  himself.  I  do  not  re- 
member what  the  law  terms  such  pretenders ;  but  I  dare  say 
it  is  something  sufficiently  odious." 

"//7///J-  iiuUii/.s^  Thomas,"  said  Sir  Wycherly,  with  a  little 
eagerness  to  show  his  learning.  "That's  the  very  phrase. 
I  have  it  from  the  first  authority;  my  late  brother,  Baron 
Wychecombe,  giving  it  to  me  with  his  own  mouth,  on  an 
occasion  that  called  for  an  understanding  of  such  matters. 
The  judge  was  a  most  accurate  lawyer,  particularly  in  all 
that  related  to  names;  and  I'll  engage,  if  he  were  living  at 
this  moment,  he  would  tell  you  the  legal  appellation  of  a 
changeling  ought  to  h^  films  nulliusy 

In  spite  of  his  native  impudence,  and  an  innate  deter- 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  95 

mination  to  make  his  way  in  the  world,  without  much  re- 
gard to  truth,  Tom  Wychecombe  felt  his  cheek  burn  so 
much,  at  this  innocent  allusion  of  his  reputed  uncle,  that 
he  was  actually  obliged  to  turn  away  his  face,  in  order  to 
conceal  his  confusion.  Had  any  moral  delinquency  of  his 
own  been  implicated  in  the  remark,  he  might  have  found 
means  to  steel  himself  against  its  consequences ;  but,  as  is 
only  too  often  the  case,  he  was  far  more  ashamed  of  a  mis- 
fortune over  which  he  had  no  possible  control  than  he 
would  have  been  of  a  crime  for  which  he  was  strictly  re- 
sponsible in  morals.  Sir  Gervaise  smiled  at  Sir  Wycherly's 
knowledge  of  law  terms,  not  to  say  of  Latin;  and  turning 
good-humoredly  to  his  friend  the  rear-admiral,  anxious  to 
re-establish  friendly  relations  with  him,  he  said  with  well- 
concealed  irony: 

"Sir  Wycherly  must  be  right,  Bluewater.  A  changeling 
is  nobody — that  is  to  say,  he  is  not  the  body  he  pretends  to 
be,  which  is  substantially  being  nobody — and  the  son  of 
nobody  is  clearly  2ijtlius  nullius.  And  now  having  settled 
what  may  be  called  the  law  of  the  case,  I  demand  a  truce, 
until  we  get  our  nuts — for  as  to  Mr.  Thomas  Wychecombe's 
having  his  nut  to  crack,  at  least  to-day,  I  take  it  there  are 
too  many  loyal  subjects  in  the  north." 

When  men  know  each  other  as  well  as  was  the  case  with 
our  two  admirals,  there  are  a  thousand  secret  means  of  an- 
noyance, as  well  as  of  establishing  amity.  Admiral  Blue- 
water  was  well  aware  that  Sir  Gervaise  was  greatly  superior 
to  the  vulgar  whig  notion  of  the  day,  which  believed  in  the 
fabricated  tale  of  the  Pretender's  spurious  birth;  and  the 
secret  and  ironical  allusion  he  had  made  to  his  impression 
on  that  subject  acted  as  oil  to  his  own  chafed  spirit,  dis- 
posing him  to  moderation.  This  had  been  the  intention  of 
the  other;  and  the  smiles  they  exchanged,  sufficiently  proved 
that  their  usual  mental  intercourse  was  temporarily  restored 
at  least. 

Deference  to  his  guests  made  Sir  Wycherly  consent  to 


96  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

change  the  subject,  though  he  was  a  little  mystified  with  the 
obvious  reluctance  of  the  two  admirals  to  speak  of  an  enter- 
prise that  ought  to  be  uppermost,  according  to  his  notion  of 
the  matter,  in  every  Englishman's  mind.  Tom  had  received 
a  rebuke  that  kept  him  silent  during  the  rest  of  the  dinner; 
while  the  others  were  content  to  eat  and  drink,  as  if  nothing 
had  happened. 

It  is  seldom  that  a  party  takes  its  seat  at  table  without 
some  secret  manoeuvring  as  to  the  neighborhood,  when  the 
claims  of  rank  and  character  do  not  interfere  with  personal 
wishes.  Sir  Wycherly  had  placed  Sir  Gervaise  on  his  right 
and  Mrs.  Button  on  his  left.  But  Admiral  Bluewater  had 
escaped  from  his  control,  and  taken  his  seat  next  to  Mildred, 
who  had  been  placed  by  Tom  Wychecombe  close  to  himself, 
at  the  foot  of  the  table.  Wycherly  occupied  the  seat  oppo- 
site, and  this  compelled  Button  and  Mr.  Rotherham,  the 
vicar,  to  fill  the  other  two  chairs.  The  good  baronet  had 
made  a  wry  face,  at  seeing  a  rear-admiral  so  unworthily 
bestowed;  but  Sir  Gervaise  assuring  him  that  his  friend 
was  never  so  happy  as  when  in  the  service  of  beauty,  he  was 
fain  to  submit  to  the  arrangement. 

That  Admiral  Bluewater  was  struck  with  Mildred's  beauty, 
and  pleased  with  her  natural  and  feminine  manner,  one  alto- 
gether superior  to  what  might  have  been  expected  from  her 
station  in  life,  was  very  apparent  to  all  at  table;  though  it 
was  quite  impossible  to  mistake  his  parental  and  frank  air 
for  any  other  admiration  than  that  which  was  suitable  to 
the  difference  in  years,  and  in  unison  with  their  respective 
conditions  and  experience.  Mrs.  Button,  so  far  from  taking 
the  alarm  at  the  rear-admiral's  attentions,  felt  gratification 
in  observing  them;  and  perhaps  she  experienced  a  secret 
pride  in  the  consciousness  of  their  being  so  well  merited. 
It  has  been  said,  already,  that  she  was,  herself,  the  daughter 
of  a  land-steward  of  a  nobleman,  in  an  adjoining  county; 
but  it  may  be  well  to  add,  here,  that  she  had  been  so  great 
a  favorite  with  the  daughters  of  her  father's  employer  as  to 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  97 

have  been  admitted,  in  a  measure,  to  their  society,  and  to 
have  enjoyed  some  of  the  advantages  of  their  education. 
Lady  Wilmeter,  the  mother  of  the  young  ladies,  to  whom 
she  was  admitted  as  a  sort  of  humble  companion,  had  formed 
the  opinion  it  might  be  an  advantage  to  the  girl  to  educate 
her  for  a  governess ;  little  conceiving,  in  her  own  situation, 
that  she  was  preparing  a  course  of  life  for  Martha  Ray,  foi 
such  was  Mrs.  Button's  maiden  name,  that  was  perhaps  the 
least  enviable  of  all  the  careers  that  a  virtuous  and  intelli- 
gent female  can  run.  This  was,  as  education  and  gover- 
nesses were  appreciated  a  century  ago ;  the  world,  with  all 
its  faults  and  sophisms,  having  unquestionably  made  a  vast 
stride  towards  real  civilization,  and  moral  truths,  in  a  thou- 
sand important  interests,  since  that  time.  Nevertheless,  the 
education  was  received,  together  with  a  good  many  tastes, 
and  sentiments,  and  opinions,  which  it  may  well  be  ques- 
tioned whether  they  contributed  most  to  the  happiness  or 
unhappiness  of  the  pupil,  in  her  future  life.  Frank  Button, 
then  a  handsome,  though  far  from  polished  young  sea-lieu- 
tenant, interfered  with  the  arrangement,  by  making  Martha 
Ray  his  wife  when  she  was  two-and-twenty.  This  match 
was  suitable,  in  all  respects,  with  the  important  exception 
of  the  educations  and  characters  of  the  parties.  Still,  as  a 
woman  may  well  be  more  refined,  and  in  some  things,  even 
more  intelligent  than  her  husband;  and  as  sailors,  in  the 
commencement  of  the  eighteenth  century,  formed  a  class  of 
society  much  more  distinct  than  they  do  to-day,  there  would 
have  been  nothing  absolutely  incompatible  with  the  future 
well-being  of  the  young  couple,  had  each  pursued  his  or  her 
own  career  in  a  manner  suitable  to  their  respective  duties. 
Young  Button  took  away  his  bride,  with  the  two  thousand 
pounds  she  had  received  from  her  father,  and  for  a  long  time 
he  was  seen  no  more  in  his  native  county.  After  an  absence 
of  some  twenty  years,  however,  he  returned,  broken  in  con- 
stitution, and  degraded  in  rank.  Mrs.  Button  brought  with 
her  one  child,  the  beautiful  girl  introduced  to  the  reader, 
7  ^      .-. 


gS  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

and  to  whom  she  was  studiously  imparting  all  she  had  her- 
self  acquired  in  the  adventitious  manner  mentioned.  Such 
were  the  means  by  which  Mildred,  like  her  mother,  had 
been  educated  above  her  condition  in  life ;  and  it  had  been 
remarked  that,  though  Mrs.  Button  had  probably  no  cause 
to  felicitate  herself  on  the  possession  of  manners  and  senti- 
ments that  met  with  so  little  sympathy,  or  appreciation,  in 
her  actual  situation,  she  assiduously  cultivated  the  same 
manners  and  opinions  in  her  daughter;  frequently  manifest- 
ing a  sort  of  sickly  fastidiousness  on  the  subject  of  Mil- 
dred's deportment  and  tastes.  It  is  probable  the  girl  owed 
her  improvement  in  both,  however,  more  to  the  circumstance 
of  her  being  left  so  much  alone  with  her  mother  than  to  any 
positive  lessons  she  received;  the  influence  of  example,  for 
years,  producing  its  usual  effects. 

No  one  in  Wychecombe  positively  knew  the  history  of 
Button's  professional  degradation.  He  had  never  risen 
higher  than  to  be  a  lieutenant;  and  from  this  station  he 
had  fallen  by  the  sentence  of  a  court-martial.  His  restora- 
tion to  the  service,  in  the  humbler  and  almost  hopeless  rank 
of  a  master,  was  believed  to  have  been  brought  about  by 
Mrs.  Button's  influence  with  the  present  Lord  Wilmeter, 
who  was  the  brother  of  her  youthful  companions.  That  the 
husband  had  wasted  his  means  was  as  certain  as  that  his 
habits,  on  the  score  of  temperance  at  least,  were  bad,  and 
that  his  wife,  if  not  positively  broken-hearted,  was  an  un- 
happy woman;  one  to  be  pitied,  and  admired.  Sir  Wych- 
erly  was  little  addicted  to  analysis,  but  he  could  not  fail  to 
discover  the  superiority  of  the  wife  and  daughter  over  the 
husband  and  father;  and  it  is  due  to  his  young  namesake 
to  add  that  his  obvious  admiration  of  Mildred  was  quite  as 
much  owing  to  her  mind,  deportment,  character,  and  tastes, 
as  to  her  exceeding  personal  charms. 

This  little  digression  may  perhaps,  in  the  reader's  eyes, 
excuse  the  interest  Admiral  Bluewater  took  in  our  heroine. 
With  the  indulgence  of  years  and  station,  and  the  tact  of  a 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  99 

man  of  the  world,  he  succeeded  in  drawing  Mildred  out, 
without  alarming  her  timidity;  and  he  was  surprised  at  dis- 
covering the  delicacy  of  her  sentiments,  and  the  accuracy  of 
her  knowledge.  He  was  too  conversant  with  society,  and 
had  too  much  good  taste,  to  make  any  deliberate  parade  of 
opinions ;  but  in  the  quiet  manner  that  is  so  easy  to  those 
who  are  accustomed  to  deal  with  truths  and  tastes  as  famil- 
iar things,  he  succeeded  in  inducing  her  to  answer  his  own 
remarks,  to  sympathize  with  his  feelings,  to  laugh  when  he 
laughed,  and  to  assume  a  look  of  disapproval  when  he  felt 
that  disapprobation  was  just.  To  all  this  Wycherly  was  a 
delighted  witness,  and  in  some  respects  he  participated  in 
the  conversation;  for  there  was  evidently  no  wish  on  the 
part  of  the  rear-admiral  to  monopolize  his  beautiful  com- 
panion to  himself.  Perhaps  the  position  of  the  young  man, 
directly  opposite  to  her,  aided  in  inducing  Mildred  to  be- 
stow so  many  grateful  looks  and  sweet  smiles  on  the  older 
officer;  for  she  could  not  glance  across  the  table  without 
meeting  the  admiring  gaze  of  Wycherly,  fastened  on  her 
own  blushing  face. 

It  is  certain,  if  our  heroine  did  not,  during  this  repast, 
make  a  conquest  of  Admiral  Bluewater  in  the  ordinary 
meaning  of  the  term,  that  she  made  him  a  friend.  Sir  Ger- 
vaise,  even,  was  struck  with  the  singular  and  devoted  man- 
ner in  which  his  old  messmate  gave  all  his  attention  to  the 
beautiful  girl  at  his  side;  and,  once  or  twice,  he  caught 
himself  conjecturing  whether  it  were  possible  that  one  as 
practised,  as  sensible,  and  as  much  accustomed  to  the  beau- 
ties of  the  court  as  Bluewater  had  actually  been  caught,  by 
the  pretty  face  of  a  country  girl,  when  so  well  turned  of 
fifty,  himself!  Then,  discarding  the  notion  as  preposterous, 
he  gave  his  attention  to  the  discourse  of  Sir  Wycherly;  a 
dissertation  on  rabbits  and  rabbit-warrens.  In  this  manner 
the  dinner  passed  away. 

Mrs.  Button  asked  her  host's  permission  to  retire,  with 
her  daughter,  at  the  earliest  moment  permitted  by  propriety. 


lOO  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

In  quitting  the  room  she  cast  an  anxious  glance  at  the  face 
of  her  husband,  which  was  already  becoming  flushed  with 
his  frequent  applications  of  port;  and,  spite  of  an  effort  to 
look  smiling  and  cheerful,  her  lips  quivered,  and  by  the 
time  she  and  Mildred  reached  the  drawing-room  tears  were 
fast  falling  down  her  cheeks.  No  explanation  was  asked, 
or  needed,  by  the  daughter,  who  threw  herself  into  her 
mother's  arms,  and  for  several  minutes  they  wept  together, 
in  silence.  Never  had  Mrs.  Button  spoken,  even  to  Mil- 
dred, of  the  besetting  and  degrading  vice  of  her  husband; 
but  it  had  been  impossible  to  conceal  its  painful  conse- 
quences from  the  world ;  much  less  from  one  who  lived  in 
the  bosom  of  her  family.  On  that  failing  which  the  wife 
treated  so  tenderly,  the  daughter  of  course  could  not  touch; 
but  the  silent  communion  of  tears  had  got  to  be  so  sweet  to 
both  that,  with  the  last  year,  it  was  of  very  frequent  occur- 
rence. 

"  Really,  Mildred,"  said  the  mother  at  length,  after  hav- 
ing succeeded  in  suppressing  her  emotion,  and  in  drying 
her  eyes,  while  she  smiled  fondly  in  the  face  of  the  lovely 
and  affectionate  girl,  "this  Admiral  Bluewater  is  get- 
ting to  be  so  particular,  I  hardly  know  how  to  treat  the 
matter." 

"  Oh,  mother,  he  is  a  delightful  old  gentleman !  and  he 
is  so  gentle,  while  he  is  so  frank,  that  he  wins  your  confi- 
dence almost  before  you  know  it.  I  wonder  if  he  could 
have  been  serious  in  what  he  said  about  the  noble  daring 
and  noble  deserving  of  Prince  Edward!" 

"  That  must  pass  for  trifling,  of  course ;  the  ministry  would 
scarcely  employ  any  but  a  true  whig,  in  command  of  a  fleet. 
I  saw  several  of  his  family,  when  a  girl,  and  have  always 
heard  them  spoken  of  with  esteem  and  respect.  Lord  Blue- 
water,  this  gentleman's  cousin,  was  very  intimate  with  the 
present  Lord  Wilmeter,  and  was  often  at  the  castle.  I  re- 
member to  have  heard  that  he  had  a  disappointment  in  love, 
when  quite  a  young  man,  and  that  he  has  ever  since  been 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  lOI 

considered  a  confirmed  bachelor.  So  you  will  take  heed, 
my  love." 

"The  warning  was  unnecessary,  dear  mother,"  returned 
Mildred,  laughing;  "  I  could  dote  on  the  admiral  as  a  father, 
but  must  be  excused  from  considering  him  young  enough  for 
a  nearer  tie." 

"  And  yet  he  has  the  much  admired  profession,  Mildred," 
said  the  mother,  smiling  fondly,  and  yet  a  little  archly.  "  I 
have  often  heard  you  speak  of  your  passion  for  the  sea." 

"  That  was  formerly,  mother,  when  I  spoke  as  a  sailor's 
daughter,  and  as  girls  are  apt  to  speak,  without  much  reflec- 
tion. I  do  not  know  that  I  think  better  of  a  seaman's  pro- 
fession, now,  than  I  do  of  any  other.  I  fear  there  is  often 
much  misery  in  store  for  soldiers'  and  sailors'  wives." 

Mrs.  Button's  lip  quivered  again ;  but,  hearing  a  foot 
at  the  door,  she  made  an  effort  to  be  composed,  just  as 
Admiral  Bluewater  entered. 

"  I  have  run  away  from  the  bottle,  Mrs.  Button,  to  join 
you  and  your  fair  daughter,  as  I  would  run  from  an  enemy 
of  twice  my  force,"  he  said,  giving  each  lady  a  hand,  in  a 
manner  so  friendly  as  to  render  the  act  more  than  gracious ; 
for  it  was  kind.  "Oakes  is  bowsing  out  his  jib  with  his 
brother  baronet,  as  we  sailors  say,  and  I  have  hauled  out  of 
the  line  without  a  signal." 

"  I  hope  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  does  not  consider  it  neces- 
sary to  drink  more  wine  than  is  good  for  the  mind  and 
body,"  observed  Mrs.  Button,  with  a  haste  that  she  imme- 
diately regretted. 

"  Not  he.  Gervaise  Oakes  is  as  discreet  a  man  in  all 
that  relates  to  the  table  as  an  anchorite ;  and  yet  he  has  a 
faculty  of  seeming  to  drink,  that  makes  him  a  boon  compan- 
ion for  a  four-bottle  man.  How  the  deuce  he  does  it  is 
more  than  I  can  tell  you;  but  he  does  it  so  well  that  he 
does  not  more  thoroughly  get  the  better  of  the  king's 
enemies  on  the  high  seas  than  he  floors  his  friends  under 
the  table.     Sir  Wycherly  has  begun  his  libations  in  honor 


102  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

of  the  house  of  Hanover,  and  they  will  be  likely  to  make 
a  long  sitting." 

Mrs.  Button  sighed,  and  walked  away  to  a  window  to  con- 
ceal the  paleness  of  her  cheeks.  Admiral  Bluewater,  though 
perfectly  abstemious  himself,  regarded  license  with  the  bot- 
tle after  dinner,  like  most  men  of  that  age,  as  a  very  venial 
weakness,  and  he  quietly  took  a  seat  by  the  side  of  Mildred, 
and  began  to  converse. 

"  I  hope,  young  lady,  as  a  sailor's  child  you  feel  an  hered 
itary  indulgence  for  a  seaman's  gossip,"  he  said.     "  We,  who 
are  so  much  shut  up  in  our  ships,  have  a  poverty  of  ideas  on 
most  subjects;    and  as  to  always  talking  of  the  winds  an^i 
waves,  that  would  fatigue  even  a  poet." 

"As  a  sailor's  daughter  I  honor  my  father's  calling,  sir; 
and  as  an  English  girl  I  venerate  the  brave  defenders  of  the 
island.  Nor  do  I  know  that  seamen  have  less  to  say  than 
other  men." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  confess  this,  for — shall  I  be  frank 
with  you,  and  take  a  liberty  that  would  better  become  a 
friend  of  a  dozen  years  than  an  acquaintance  of  a  day? — 
and  yet  I  know  not  why  it  is  so,  my  dear  child,  but  I  feel 
as  if  I  had  long  known  you,  though  I  am  certain  we  never 
met  before." 

"  Perhaps,  sir,  it  is  an  omen  that  we  are  long  to  know 
each  other  in  future,"  said  Mildred,  with  the  winning  confi- 
dence of  unsuspecting  and  innocent  girlhood.  "  I  hope  you 
will  use  no  reserve." 

"  Well,  then,  at  the  risk  of  making  a  sad  blunder,  I  will 
just  say  that  *my  nephew  Tom'  is  anything  but  a  prepossess- 
ing youth;  and  that  I  hope  all  eyes  regard  him  exactly  as 
he  appears  to  a  sailor  of  fifty-five." 

"  I  cannot  answer  for  more  than  those  of  a  girl  of  nine- 
teen. Admiral  Bluewater,"  said  Mildred,  laughing;  "but 
for  her  I  think  I  may  say  that  she  does  not  look  on  him  as 
either  an  Adonis  or  a  Crichton." 

"  Upon  my  soul !     I  am  right  glad  to  hear  this,  for  the 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  IO3 

fellow  has  accidental  advantages  enough  to  render  him  for- 
midable. He  is  the  heir  to  the  baronetcy  and  this  estate,  I 
believe?" 

"I  presume  he  is.  Sir  Wycherly  has  no  other  nephew — 
or  at  least  this  is  the  eldest  of  three  brothers,  I  am  told — 
and,  being  childless  himself,  it  viust  be  so.  My  father  tells 
me  Sir  Wycherly  speaks  of  Mr.  Thomas  Wychecombe  as  his 
future  heir." 

"Your  father! — Ay,  fathers  look  on  these  matters  with 
eyes  very  different  from  their  daughters!" 

"There  is  one  thing  about  seamen  that  renders  them  at 
least  safe  acquaintances,"  said  Mildred,  smiling;  "I  mean 
their  frankness." 

"That  is  a  failing  of  mine,  as  I  have  heard.  But  you 
will  pardon  an  indiscretion  that  arises  in  the  interest  I  feel 
in  yourself.  The  eldest  of  three  brothers — is  the  lieutenant, 
then,  a  5'ounger  son?" 

^^  He  does  not  belong  to  the  family  at  all,  I  believe,"  Mil- 
dred answered,  coloring  slightly,  in  spite  of  a  resolute  deter- 
mination to  appear  unconcerned.  "  Mr.  Wycherly  Wyche- 
combe is  no  relative  of  our  host,  I  hear;  though  he  bears 
both  of  his  names.  He  is  from  the  colonies;  born  in 
Virginia." 

"  He  is  a  noble  and  a  noble  looking  fellow !  Were  I  the 
baronet  I  would  break  the  entail  rather  than  the  acres  should 
go  to  that  sinister-looking  nephew,  and  bestow  them  on  the 
namesake.     From  Virginia,  and  not  even  a  relative,  at  all?" 

"That  is  what  Mr.  Thomas  W^ychecombe  says;  and  even 
Sir  Wycherly  confirms  it.  I  have  never  heard  Mr.  Wych- 
erly Wychecombe  speak  on  the  subject,  himself." 

"  A  weakness  of  poor  human  nature!  The  lad  finds  an 
honorable,  ancient,  and  affluent  family  here,  and  has  not  the 
courage  to  declare  his  want  of  affinity  to  it;  happening  to 
bear  the  same  name." 

Mildred  hesitated  about  replying;  but  a  generous  feeling 
got  the  better  of  her  diffidence.     "  I  have  never  seen  any- 


104  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

thing  in  the  conduct  of  Mr.  Wycherly  Wychecombe  to  in- 
duce me  to  think  that  he  feels  any  such  weakness,"  she  said 
earnestly.  "  He  seems  rather  to  take  pride  in,  than  to  feel 
ashamed  of,  his  being  a  colonial ;  and  you  know  we  in  Eng- 
land hardly  look  on  the  people  of  the  colonies  as  our  equals." 

"  And  have  you,  young  lady,  any  of  that  overweening 
prejudice  in  favor  of  your  own  island?" 

"  I  hope  not ;  but  I  think  most  persons  have.  Mr.  Wych- 
erly Wychecombe  admits  that  Virginia  is  inferior  to  Eng- 
land in  a  thousand  things;  and  yet  he  seems  to  take  pride 
in  his  birthplace." 

"  Every  sentiment  of  this  nature  is  to  be  traced  to  self. 
We  know  that  the  fact  is  irretrievable,  and  struggle  to  be 
proud  of  what  we  cannot  help.  The  Turk  will  tell  you  he 
has  the  honor  to  be  a  native  of  Stamboul ;  the  Parisian  will 
boast  of  his  Faubourg;  and  the  cockney  exults  in  Wapping. 
Personal  conceit  lies  at  the  bottom  of  all;  for  we  fancy  that 
places  to  which  we  belong  are  not  places  to  be  ashamed  of." 

"  And  yet  I  do  not  think  Mr.  Wycherly  at  all  remarkable 
for  conceit.  On  the  contrary,  he  is  rather  diffident  and  un- 
assuming." 

This  was  said  simply,  but  so  sincerely,  as  to  induce  the 
listener  to  fasten  his  penetrating  blue  eye  on  the  speaker, 
who  now  first  took  the  alarm,  and  felt  that  she  might  have 
said  too  much.  At  this  moment  the  two  young  men  entered, 
and  a  servant  appeared  to  request  that  Admiral  Bluewater 
would  do  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  the  favor  to  join  him  in  the 
dressing-room  of  the  latter. 

Tom  Wychecombe  reported  the  condition  of  the  dinner- 
table  to  be  such  as  to  render  it  desirable  for  all  but  three 
and  four-bottle  men  to  retire.  Hanoverian  toasts  and  senti- 
ments were  in  the  ascendant,  and  there  was  every  appear- 
ance that  those  who  remained  intended  to  make  a  night  of 
it.  This  was  sad  intelligence  for  Mrs.  Dutton,  who  had 
come  forward  eagerly  to  hear  the  report,  but  who  now  re- 
turned to  the  window,  apparently  irresolute  as  to  the  course 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  10$ 

she  ought  to  take.  As  both  the  young  men  remained  near 
Mildred,  she  had  sufficient  opportunity  to  come  to  her 
decision  without  interruption  or  hindrance. 


CHAPTER   VII. 


"  Somewhat  we  will  do. 


And  look,  when  I  am  king,  claim  thou  of  me 
The  earldom  of  Hereford,  and  all  the  movables 
Whereof  the  king  my  brother  was  possessed." 

Richard  III. 

Rear- Admiral  Bluewater  found  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  pac- 
ing a  large  dressing-room,  quarter-deck  fashion,  with  as 
much  zeal  as  if  just  released  from  a  long  sitting,  on  official 
duty,  in  his  own  cabin.  As  the  two  officers  were  perfectly 
familiar  with  each  other's  personal  habits,  neither  deviated 
from  his  particular  mode  of  indulging  his  ease ;  but  the  last 
comer  quietly  took  his  seat  in  a  large  chair,  disposing  of  his 
person  in  a  way  to  show  he  intended  to  consult  his  comfort, 
let  what  would  happen. 

"  Bluewater,"  commenced  Sir  Gervaise,  "  this  is  a  very 
foolish  affair  of  the  Pretender's  son,  and  can  only  lead  to 
his  destruction.     I  look  upon  it  as  altogether  unfortunate." 

"  That,  as  it  may  terminate.  No  man  can  tell  what  a  day 
or  an  hour  may  bring  forth.  I  am  sure,  such  a  rising  was 
one  of  the  last  things  /  have  been  anticipating,  down 
yonder  in  the  Bay  of  Biscay." 

"  I  wish  with  all  my  heart  we  had  never  left  it,"  muttered 
Sir  Gervaise,  so  low  that  his  companion  did  not  hear  him. 
Then  he  added  in  a  louder  tone,  "  Our  duty,  however,  is 
very  simple.  We  have  only  to  obey  orders;  and  it  seems 
that  the  young  man  has  no  naval  force  to  sustain  him.  We 
shall  probably  be  sent  to  watch  Brest,  or  I'Orient,  or  some 
other  port.     Monsieur  must  be  kept  in,  let  what  will  happen." 

"  I  rather  think  it  would  be  better  to  let  him  out,  our 


I06  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

chances  on  the  high  seas  being  at  least  as  good  as  his  own. 
I  am  no  friend  to  blockades,  which  strike  me  as  an  un- 
English  mode  of  carrying  on  a  war." 

"  You  are  right  enough,  Dick,  in  the  main,"  returned  Sir 
Gervaise,  laughing. 

"  Ay,  and  07i  the  main,  Oakes.  I  sincerely  hope  the  First 
Lord  will  not  send  a  man  like  you,  who  are  every  way  so 
capable  of  giving  an  account  of  your  enemy  with  plenty  of 
sea-room,  on  duty  so  scurvy  as  a  blockade." 

"A  man  like  me!  ^Vhy  a  man  like  me  in  particular?  I 
trust  I  am  to  have  the  pleasure  of  Admiral  Bluewater's 
company,  advice,  and  assistance?" 

"  An  inferior  never  can  know.  Sir  Gervaise,  where  it  may 
suit  the  pleasure  of  his  superiors  to  order  him." 

"  That  distinction  of  superior  and  inferior,  Bluewater, 
will  one  day  lead  you  into  a  confounded  scrape,  I  fear.  If 
you  consider  Charles  Stuart  your  sovereign,  it  is  not  prob- 
able that  orders  issued  by  a  servant  of  King  George  will  be 
much  respected.  I  hope  you  will  do  nothing  hastily  or 
without  consulting  5'our  oldest  and  truest  friend!" 

"You  know  my  sentiments,  and  there  is  little  use  in 
dwelling  on  them,  now.  So  long  as  the  quarrel  was  be- 
tween my  own  country  and  a  foreign  land,  I  have  been  con- 
tent to  serve ;  but  when  my  lawful  prince,  or  his  son  and 
heir,  comes  in  this  gallant  and  chivalrous  manner,  throwing 
himself,  as  it  might  be,  into  the  very  arms  of  his  subjects, 
confiding  all  to  their  loyalty  and  spirit,  it  makes  such  an 
appeal  to  every  noble  feeling  that  the  heart  finds  it  difficult 
to  repulse.  I  could  have  joined  Norris,  with  right  good 
will,  in  dispersing  and  destroying  the  armament  that  Louis 
XV.  was  sending  against  us  in  this  very  cause;  but  here 
everything  is  English,  and  Englishmen  have  the  quarrel  en- 
tirely to  themselves.  I  do  not  see  how  as  a  loyal  subject 
of  my  hereditary  prince  I  can  well  refrain  from  joining  his 
standard." 

"And  would  you^  Dick   Bluewater,  who,  to  my  certain 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  10/ 

knowledge,  were  sent  on  board  ship  at  twelve  years  of  age, 
and  who,  for  more  than  forty  years,  have  been  a  man-of- 
war's-man,  body  and  soul;  would  you  now  strip  your  old 
hulk  of  the  sea-blue  that  has  so  long  covered  and  become 
it,  rig  yourself  out  like  a  soldier,  with  a  feather  in  your  hat, 
— ay,  d — e,  and  a  camp-kettle  on  your  arm,  and  follow  a 
drummer,  like  one  of  your  kinsmen,  Lord  Bluewater's  fel- 
lows of  the  guards? — for  of  sailors,  your  lawful  prince,  as 
you  call  him,  hasn't  enough  to  stopper  his  conscience,  or  to 
whip  the  tail  of  his  coat,  to  keep  it  from  being  torn  to  tatters 
by  the  heather  of  Scotland.  If  you  do  follow  the  adventurer, 
it  must  be  in  some  such  character,  since  I  question  if  he  can 
muster  a  seaman  to  tell  him  the  bearings  of  London  from 
Perth." 

*'  When  I  join  him  he  will  be  better  off." 

"  And  what  could  even  you  do  alone  among  a  parcel  of 
Scotchmen,  running  about  their  hills  under  bare  poles? 
Your  signals  will  not  manoeuvre  regiments,  and  as  for  ma- 
noeuvring in  any  other  manner  you  know  nothing.  No — no; 
stay  where  you  are  and  help  an  old  friend  with  knowledge 
that  is  useful  to  him. — I  should  be  afraid  to  do  a  dashing 
thing,  unless  I  felt  the  certainty  of  having  you  in  my  van  to 
strike  the  first  blow ;  or  in  my  rear  to  bring  me  off  hand- 
somely." 

"You  would  be  afraid  of  nothing,  Gervaise  Oakes,  wheth- 
er I  stood  at  your  elbow  or  were  off  in  Scotland.  Fear  is 
not  your  failing,  though  temerity  may  be." 

"  Then  I  want  your  presence  to  keep  me  within  the  bounds 
of  reason,"  said  Sir  Gervaise,  stopping  short  in  his  walk, 
and  looking  his  friend  smilingly  in  the  face.  "  In  some 
mode  or  other  I  always  need  your  aid." 

"I  understand  the  meaning  of  your  words.  Sir  Gervaise, 
and  appreciate  the  feeling  that  dictates  them.  You  must 
have  a  perfect  conviction  that  I  will  do  nothing  hastily,  and 
that  I  will  betray  no  trust.  When  I  turn  my  back  on  King 
George  it  will  be  loyalty  in  one  sense,  whatever  he  may 


I08  'THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

think  of  it  in  another;  and  when  I  join  Prince  Charles  Ed- 
ward, it  will  be  with  a  conscience  that  he  need  not  be 
ashamed  to  p-robe.  What  names  he  bears!  They  are  the 
designations  of  ancient  English  sovereigns,  and  ought  of 
themselves  to  awaken  the  sensibilities  of  Englishmen." 

"Ay,  Charles  in  particular,"  returned  the  vice-admiral, 
with  something  like  a  sneer.  "There's  the  second  Charles, 
for  instance — St.  Charles,  as  our  good  host,  Sir  Wycherly, 
might  call  him — he  is  a  pattern  prince  for  Englishmen  to 
admire.  Then  his  father  was  of  the  school  of  the  Star- 
Chamber  martyrs!" 

"Both  were  lineal  descendants  of  the  Conqueror,  and  of 
the  Saxon  princes;  and  both  united  the  double  titles  to  the 
throne  in  their  sacred  persons.  I  have  always  considered 
Charles  II.  as  the  victim  of  the  rebellious  conduct  of  his 
subjects  rather  than  vicious.  He  was  driven  abroad  into  a 
most  corrupt  state  of  society,  and  was  perverted  by  our 
wickedness.  As  to  the  father,  he  was  the  real  St.  Charles, 
and  a  martyred  saint  he  was;  dying  for  true  religion  as 
well  as  for  his  legal  rights.  Then  the  Edwards — glorious 
fellows! — remember  that  they  were  all  but  one  Plantage- 
nets;   a  name,  of  itself,  to  rouse  an  Englishman's  fire!" 

"  And  yet  the  only  difference  between  the  right  of  these 
very  Plantagenets  to  the  throne  and  that  of  the  reigning 
prince  is  that  one  produced  a  revolution  by  the  strong  hand, 
and  the  other  was  produced  by  a  revolution  that  came  from 
the  nation.  I  do  not  know  that  your  Plantagenets  ever  did 
anything  for  a  navy;  the  only  real  source  of  England's 
power  and  glory.  D — e,  Dick,  if  I  think  so  much  of  your 
Plantagenets,  after  all!" 

"And  yet  the  name  of  Oakes  is  to  be  met  with  among 
their  bravest  knights  and  most  faithful  followers." 

"The  Oakes,  like  the  pines,  have  been  timbers  in  every 
ship  that  has  floated,"  returned  the  vice-admiral,  half- 
unconscious  himself  of  the  pun  he  was  making. 

For  more  than  a  minute  Sir  Gervaise  continued  his  walk. 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  IO9 

his  head  a  little  inclined  forward,  like  a  man  who  wondered 
deeply  on  some  matter  of  interest.  Then,  suddenly  stop- 
ping, he  turned  toward  his  friend,  whom  he  regarded  for 
near  another  minute,  ere  he  resumed  the  discourse. 

"  I  wish  I  could  fairly  get  you  to  exercise  your  excellent 
reason  on  this  matter,  Dick,"  he  said  after  the  pause;  "  then 
I  should  be  certain  of  having  secured  you  on  the  side  of 
liberty." 

Admiral  Bluewater  merely  shook  his  head,  but  he  contin- 
ued silent,  as  if  he  deemed  discussion  altogether  supererog- 
atory. During  this  pause  a  gentle  tap  at  the  door  an- 
nounced a  visitor;  and,  at  the  request  to  enter,  Atwood 
made  his  appearance.  He  held  in  his  hand  a  large  pack- 
age, which  bore  on  the  envelope  the  usual  stamp  that  indi- 
cated it  was  sent  on  public  service. 

"I  beg  pardon.  Sir  Gervaise,"  commenced  the  secretary, 
who  always  proceeded  at  once  to  business,  when  business 
was  to  be  done;  "but  His  Majesty's  service  will  not  admit 
of  delay.  This  packet  has  just  come  to  hand,  by  the  arrival 
of  an  express,  which  left  the  admiralty  only  yesterday  noon." 

"  And  how  the  devil  did  he  know  where  to  find  me!"  ex- 
claimed the  vice-admiral,  holding  out  a  hand  to  receive  the 
communication. 

"  It  is  all  owing  to  this  young  lieutenant's  forethought  in 
following  up  the  Jacobite  intelligence  to  a  market-town. 
The  courier  was  bound  to  Falmouth,  as  fast  as  post-horses 
could  carry  him,  when  he  heard  luckily  that  the  fleet  lay  at 
anchor  under  Wychecombe  Head;  and,  quite  as  luckily, 
he  is  an  officer  who  had  the  intelligence  to  know  that  you 
would  sooner  get  the  despatches,  if  he  turned  aside,  and 
came  hither  by  land,  than  if  he  went  on  to  Falmouth,  got 
aboard  the  sloop  that  was  to  sail  with  him  for  the  Bay  of 
Biscay,  and  came  round  here  by  water." 

Sir  Gervaise  smiled  at  this  sally,  which  was  one  in  keep- 
ing with  all  Atwood's  feelings;  for  the  secretary  had  ma- 
tured a  system  of  expresses,  which,  to  his  great  mortification, 


no  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

his  patron  laughed  at,  and  the  admiralty  entirely  overlooked. 
No  time  was  lost,  however,  in  the  way  of  business;  the 
secretary  having  placed  the  candles  on  a  table,  where  Sir 
Gervaise  took  a  chair,  and  had  already  broken  a  seal.  The 
process  of  reading,  nevertheless,  was  suddenly  interrupted 
by  the  vice-admiral's  looking  up,  and  exclaiming: 

"Why,  you  are  not  about  to  leave  us,  Bluewater?" 

"You  may  have  private  business  with  Mr.  Atwood,  Sir 
Gervaise,  and  perhaps  I  had  better  retire." 

Now,  it  so  happened  that  while  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  had 
never,  by  look  or  syllable,  as  he  confidently  believed,  be- 
trayed the  secret  of  his  friend's  Jacobite  propensities,  At- 
wood was  perfectly  aware  ^f  their  existence.  Nor  had  the 
latter  obtained  his  knowledge  by  any  unworthy  means.  He 
had  been  neither  an  eavesdropper,  nor  an  inquirer  into  pri- 
vate communications,  as  so  often  happens  around  the  per- 
sons of  men  in  high  trusts;  all  his  knowledge  having  been 
obtained  through  native  sagacity  and  unavoidable  opportu- 
nities. On  the  present  occasion,  the  secretary,  with  the  tact 
of  a  man  of  experience,  felt  that  his  presence  might  be  dis- 
pensed with;  and  he  cut  short  the  discussion  between  the 
two  admirals,  by  a  very  timely  remark  of  his  own. 

"  I  have  left  the  letters  uncopied,  Sir  Gervaise,"  he  said, 
"and  will  go  and  finish  them.  A  message  by  Locker" — ■ 
this  was  Sir  Gervaise's  body-servant — "will  bring  me  back 
at  a  moment's  notice,  should  you  need  me  again  to-night." 

"That  Atwood  has  a  surprising  instinct,  for  a  Scotch- 
man!" exclaimed  the  vice-admiral,  as  soon  as  the  door  was 
closed  on  the  secretary.  "  He  not  only  knows  when  he  t's 
wanted,  but  when  he  is  nof  wanted.  The  last  is  an  extraor- 
dinary attainment  for  one  of  his  nation." 

"And  one  that  an  Englishman  may  do  well  to  emulate," 
returned  Bluewater.  "  It  is  possible  my  company  may  be 
dispensed  with  also,  just  at  this  important  moment." 

"  You  are  not  so  much  afraid  of  the  Hanoverians,  Dick, 
as  to  run  away  from  their  handwriting,  are  ye  ?     Ha — what's 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  Ill 

this? — As  I  live,  a  packet  for  yourself,  and  directed  to 
*Rear-Admiral  Sir  Richard  Bluewater,  K.B.'  By  the  Lord, 
my  old  boy,  they've  given  you  the  red  riband  at  last!  This 
is  an  honor  well  earned,  and  which  may  be  fitly  worn." 

"  'Tis  rather  unexpected,  I  must  own.  The  letter,  how- 
ever, cannot  be  addressed  to  me,  as  I  am  not  a  Knight  of 
the  Bath." 

"  This  is  rank  nonsense.  Open  the  packet  at  once,  or  I 
will  do  it  for  you.  Are  there  two  Dick  Bluewaters  in  the 
world,  or  another  rear-admiral  of  the  same  name?" 

"  I  would  rather  not  receive  a  letter  that  does  not  strictly 
bear  my  address,"  returned  the  other  coldly. 

"As  I'll  be  sworn  this  does.  But  hand  it  to  me,  since 
you  are  so  scrupulous,  and  I  will  do  that  small  service  for 
you." 

As  this  was  said,  Sir  Gervaise  tore  aside  the  seals;  and, 
as  he  proceeded  rather  summarily,  a  red  riband  was  soon 
uncased  and  fell  upon  the  carpet.  The  other  usual  insignia 
of  the  Bath  made  their  appearance,  and  a  letter  was  found 
among  them,  to  explain  the  meaning  of  all.  Everything 
was  in  due  form,  and  went  to  acquaint  Rear- Admiral  Blue- 
water  that  His  Majesty  had  been  graciously  pleased  to  con- 
fer on  him  one  of  the  vacant  red  ribands  of  the  day,  as  a 
reward  for  his  eminent  services  on  different  occasions. 
There  was  even  a  short  communication  from  the  premier, 
expressing  the  great  satisfaction  of  the  ministry  in  thus 
being  able  to  second  the  royal  pleasure  with  hearty  good 
will." 

"Well,  what  do  you  think  of  that,  Richard  Bluewater?" 
asked  Sir  Gervaise  triumphantly.  "  Did  I  not  always  tell 
you  that  sooner  or  later  it  must  come?" 

"It  has  come  too  late,  then,"  coldly  returned  the  other, 
laying  the  riband,  jewels,  and  letters,  quietly  on  the  table. 
"This  is  an  honor,  I  can  receive,  now^  only  from  my  right- 
ful prince.  None  other  can  legally  create  a  knight  of  the 
Bath." 


112  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"And  pray,  Mr.  Richard  Bluewater,  who  made  you  a  cap- 
tain, a  commander,  a  rear-admiral?  Do  you  believe  me  an 
impostor,  because  I  wear  this  riband  on  authority  no  better 
than  that  of  the  house  of  Hanover?  Am  I,  or  am  I  not,  in 
your  judgment,  a  vice-admiral  of  the  red?" 

"  I  make  a  great  distinction,  Oakes,  between  rank  in  the 
navy  and  a  mere  personal  dignity.  In  the  one  case  you 
serve  your  country,  and  give  quite  as  much  as  you  receive ; 
whereas,  in  the  other,  it  is  a  grace  to  confer  consideration 
on  the  person  honored,  without  such  an  equivalent  as  can 
find  an  apology  for  accepting  a  rank  illegally  conferred." 

"  The  devil  take  your  distinctions,  which  would  unsettle 
everything,  and  render  the  service  a  Babel.  If  I  am  a  vice- 
admiral  of  the  red,  I  am  a  knight  of  the  Bath;  and,  if  you 
are  a  rear-admiral  of  the  white,  you  are  also  a  knight  of 
that  honorable  order.  All  comes  from  the  same  source  of 
authority  and  the  same  fountain  of  honor." 

"  I  do  not  view  it  thus.  Our  commissions  are  from  the 
admiralty,  which  represents  the  country;  but  dignities  come 
from  the  prince  who  happens  to  reign,  let  his  title  be  what 
it  may." 

"  Do  you  happen  to  think  Richard  III.  a  usurper,  or  a 
lawful  prince?" 

"  A  usurper,  out  of  all  question ;  and  a  murderer  to  boot. 
His  name  should  be  struck  from  the  list  of  English  kings. 
I  never  hear  it,  without  execrating  him  and  his  deeds." 

"  Pooh — pooh,  Dick,  this  is  talking  more  like  a  poet  than 
a  seaman.  If  only  one-half  the  sovereigns  who  deserve  to 
be  execrated  had  their  names  erased,  the  list  of  even  our 
English  kings  would  be  rather  short;  and  some  countries 
would  be  without  historical  kings  at  all.  However  much 
Richard  III.  may  deserve  cashiering  in  this  summary  man- 
ner, his  peers  and  laws  are  just  as  good  as  any  other  prince's 
peers  and  laws.  Witness  the  Duke  of  Norfolk,  for  in- 
stance." 

"  Ay,  that  cannot  be  helped  by  me ;  but  it  is  in  my  power 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  II3 

to  prevent  Richard  Bluewater's  being  made  a  knight  of  the 
Bath,  by  George  II. ;  and  the  power  shall  be  used." 

"  It  would  seem  not,  as  he  is  already  created;  and,  I  dare 
to  say,  gazetted." 

"  The  oaths  are  not  yet  taken,  and  it  is,  at  least,  an  Eng- 
lishman's birthright  to  decline  an  honor;  if,  indeed,  this 
can  be  esteemed  an  honor,  at  all." 

"Upon  my  word.  Rear- Admiral  Sir  Richard  Bluewater, 
you  are  disposed  to  be  complimentary,  to-night!  The 
unworthy  knight  present,  and  all  the  rest  of  the  order,  are 
infinitely  indebted  to  you!" 

"Your  case  and  mine,  Oakes,  are  essentially  different," 
returned  the  other,  with  some  emotion  in  his  voice  and  man- 
ner. "  Your  riband  was  fairly  won,  fighting  the  battles  of 
England,  and  can  be  worn  with  credit  to  yourself  and  to 
your  country ;  but  these  baubles  are  sent  to  me  at  a  moment 
when  a  rising  was  foreseen,  and  as  a  sop  to  keep  me  in  good 
humor,  as  well  as  to  propitiate  the  whole  Bluewater  interest." 

"That  is  pure  conjecture,  and  I  dare  say  will  prove  to  be 
altogether  a  mistake.  Here  are  the  despatches  to  speak  for 
themselves;  and,  as  it  is  scarcely  possible  that  the  ministry 
should  have  known  of  this  rash  movement  of  the  Pretender's 
son  more  than  a  few  days,  my  life  on  it,  the  dates  will  show 
that  your  riband  was  bestowed  before  the  enterprise  was 
even  suspected." 

As  Sir  Gervaise  commenced  with  his  constitutional  ardor 
to  turn  over  the  letters  as  soon  as  his  mind  was  directed  to 
this  particular  object.  Admiral  Bluewater  resumed  his  seat, 
awaiting  the  result,  with  not  a  little  curiosity;  though,  at 
the  same  time,  with  a  smile  of  incredulity.  The  examina- 
tion disappointed  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes.  The  dates  proved 
that  the  ministers  were  better  informed  than  he  had  sup- 
posed ;  for  it  appeared  they  had  been  apprised  about  the 
time  he  was  himself  of  the  intended  movement.  His  orders 
were  to  bring  the  fleet  north,  and  in  substance  to  do  the  very 
thing  his  own  sagacity  had  dictated.  So  far  everything  was 
8 


114  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

well ;  and  he  could  not  entertain  a  doubt  about  receiving  the 
hearty  approbation  of  his  superiors  for  the  course  he  had 
taken.  But  here  his  gratification  ended;  for,  on  looking  at 
the  dates  of  the  different  communications  it  was  evident  that 
the  red  riband  was  bestowed  after  the  intelligence  of  the 
Pretender's  movement  had  reached  London.  A  private  let- 
ter from  a  friend  at  the  Board  ^f  Admiralty,  too,  spoke  of 
his  own  probable  promotion  to  the  rank  of  admiral  of  the 
blue;  and  mentioned  several  other  similar  preferments  in  a 
way  to  show  that  the  government  was  fortifying  itself  in  the 
present  crisis  as  much  as  possible,  by  favors.  This  was  a 
politic  mode  of  procedure,  with  ordinary  men,  it  is  true;  but 
with  officers  of  the  elevation  of  mind  and  of  the  indepen- 
dence of  character  of  our  two  admirals,  it  was  most  likely  to 
produce  disgust. 

"  D — n  'em,  Dick,"  cried  Sir  Gervaise,  as  he  threw  down 
the  last  letter  of  the  package,  with  no  little  sign  of  feeling, 
"you  might  take  St.  Paul,  or  even  Wychecombe's  dead 
brother,  St.  James  the  Less,  and  put  him  at  court,  and  he 
would  come  out  a  thorough  blackguard  in  a  week!" 

"That  is  not  the  common  opinion  concerning  a  court  edu- 
cation," quietly  replied  the  friend;  "most  people  fancying 
that  the  place  gives  refinement  of  manners  if  not  of  senti- 
ment." 

"  Poh — poh — you  and  I  have  no  need  of  a  dictionary  to 
understand  each  other.  I  call  a  man  who  never  trusts  to  a 
generous  motive — who  thinks  it  always  necessary  to  bribe 
or  cajole — who  has  no  idea  of  anything's  being  done  with- 
out its  direct  quid  pro  quo^  a  scurvy  blackguard,  though  he 
has  the  airs  and  graces  of  Phil  Stanhope,  or  Chesterfield, 
as  he  is  now.  What  do  you  think  those  chaps  at  the  Board 
talk  of  doing  by  way  of  clinching  my  loyalty  at  this  blessed 
juncture?" 

"  No  doubt  to  get  you  raised  to  the  peerage.  I  see  noth- 
ing so  much  out  of  the  way  in  the  thing.  You  are  of  one 
of  the  oldest  families  of  England,  and  the  sixth  baronet  by 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  II5 

inheritance,  and  have  a  noble  landed  estate,  which  is  none 
the  worse  for  prize-money.  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  of  Bowl- 
dero  would  make  a  very  suitable  Lord  Bowldero." 

"If  it  were  only  that,  I  shouldn't  mind  it;  for  nothing  is 
easier  than  to  refuse  a  peerage.  I've  done  that  twice 
already,  and  can  do  it  a  third  time,  at  need.  But  one  can't 
very  well  refuse  promotion  in  his  regular  profession ;  and, 
here,  just  as  a  true  gentleman  would  depend  on  the  princi- 
ples of  an  officer,  the  hackneyed  consciences  of  your  cour- 
tiers have  suggested  the  expediency  of  making  Gervaise 
Oakes  an  admiral  of  the  blue,  by  way  of  sop! — me,  who  was 
made  vice-admiral  of  the  red  only  six  months  since,  and 
who  take  an  honest  pride  in  boasting  that  every  commission, 
from  the  lowest  to  the  highest,  has  been  fairly  earned  in 
battle!" 

"They  think  it  a  more  delicate  service,  perhaps,  for  a 
gentleman  to  be  true  to  the  reigning  house,  when  so  loud 
an  appeal  is  made  to  his  natural  loyalty ;  and  therefore  class 
the  self-conquest  with  a  victory  at  sea!" 

"They  are  so  many  court-lubbers,  and  I  should  like  to 
have  an  opportunity  of  speaking  my  mind  to  them.  I'll  not 
take  the  new  commission ;  for  every  one  must  see,  Dick,  that 
it  is  a  sop." 

"  Ay,  that's  just  my  notion,  too,  about  the  red  riband;  and 
I'll  not  take  that.  You  have  had  the  riband  these  ten  years, 
have  declined  the  peerage  twice,  and  their  only  chance  is  the 
promotion.  Take  it  you  ought,  and  must,  however,  as  it 
will  be  the  means  of  pushing  on  some  four  or  five  poor 
devils,  who  have  been  wedged  up  to  honors  in  this  manner, 
ever  since  they  were  captains.  I  am  glad  they  do  not  talk 
of  promoting  me,  for  I  should  hardly  know  how  to  refuse 
such  a  grace.  There  is  great  virtue  in  parchment,  with  all 
us  military  men." 

"  Still  it  must  be  parchment  fairly  won.  I  think  you  are 
wrong,  notwithstanding,  Bluewater,  in  talking  of  refusing 
the  riband,  which  is  so  justly  your  due,  for  a  dozen  differ- 


Il6  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

ent  acts.  There  is  not  a  man  in  the  service  who  has  been 
less  rewarded  for  what  he  has  done  than  yourself." 

"  I  am  sorry  to  hear  you  give  this  as  your  opinion ;  for 
just  at  this  moment  I  would  rather  think  that  I  have  no 
cause  of  complaint  in  this  way  against  the  reigning  family 
or  its  ministers.  I'm  sure  I  was  posted  when  quite  a  young 
man,  and  since  that  time  no  one  has  been  lifted  over  my 
head." 

The  vice-admiral  looked  intently  at  his  friend;  for  never 
before  had  he  detected  a  feeling  which  betrayed,  as  he  fan- 
cied, so  settled  a  determination  in  him  to  quit  the  service 
of  the  powers  that  were.  Acquainted  from  boyhood  with 
all  the  workings  of  the  other'.**  mind,  he  perceived  that  the 
rear-admiral  had  been  endeavoring  to  persuade  himself  that 
no  selfish  or  unworthy  motive  could  be  assigned  to  an  act 
which  he  f  It  to  proceed  from  disinterested  chivalry,  just  as 
he  himself  broke  out  with  his  expression  of  an  opinion  that 
no  officer  had  been  less  liberally  rewarded  for  his  profes- 
sional services  than  his  friend.  While  there  is  no  greater 
mystery  to  a  selfish  manager  than  a  man  of  disinterested 
temperament,  they  who  feel  and  submit  to  generous  im- 
pulses understand  each  other  with  an  instinctive  facility. 
When  any  particular  individual  is  prone  to  believe  that 
there  is  a  predominance  f  good  over  evil  in  the  w^orld  he 
inhabits,  it  is  a  sign  of  inexperience,  or  of  imbecility;  but 
when  one  acts  and  reasons  as  if  all  honor  and  virtue  are  ex- 
tinct, he  furnishes  the  best  possible  argument  against  his 
own  tendencies  and  character.  It  has  often  been  remarked 
that  stronger  friendships  are  made  between  those  who  have 
different  personal  peculiarities,  than  between  those  whose 
sameness  of  feeling  and  impulses  would  be  less  likely  to 
keep  interest  alive;  but,  in  all  cases  of  intimacies,  there 
must  be  great  identity  of  principles,  and  even  of  tastes  in 
matters  at  all  connected  with  motives,  in  order  to  ensure 
respect  among  those  whose  standard  of  opinion  is  higher 
than  common,  or  sympathy  among  those  with  whom  it  is 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  1 17 

lower.  Such  was  the  fact,  as  respected  Admirals  Oakes  and 
Bluewater.  No  two  men  could  be  less  alike  in  temperament 
or  character,  physically,  and,  in  some  senses,  morally  con- 
sidered; but,  when  it  came  to  principles,  or  all  those  tastes 
or  feelings  that  are  allied  to  principles,  there  was  a  strong 
native  as  well  as  acquired  affinity.  This  union  of  senti- 
ment was  increased  by  common  habits,  and  professional 
careers  so  long  and  so  closely  united  as  to  be  almost  iden- 
tical. Nothing  was  easier,  consequently,  than  for  Sir  Ger- 
vaise  Oakes  to  comprehend  the  workings  of  Admiral  Blue- 
water's  mind,  as  the  latter  endeavored  to  believe  he  had 
been  fairly  treated  by  the  existing  government.  Of  course, 
the  reasoning  which  passed  through  the  thoughts  of  Sir  Ger- 
vaise,  on  this  occasion,  required  much  less  time  than  we 
have  taken  to  explain  its  nature;  and,  after  regarding  his 
friend  intently,  as  already  related  for  a  few  seconds,  he  an- 
swered as  follows,  a  good  deal  influenced,  unwittingly  to 
himself,  with  the  wish  to  check  the  other's  Jacobite  propen- 
sities: 

"  I  am  sorry  not  to  be  able  to  agree  with  you,  Dick,"  he 
said,  with  some  warmth.  "  So  far  from  thinking  you  well 
treated  by  any  ministry,  these  twenty  years,  I  think  you 
have  been  very  ///  treated.  Your  rank  you  have,  beyond  a 
question ;  for  of  that  no  brave  officer  can  well  be  deprived 
in  a  regulated  service ;  but,  have  you  had  the  commands  to 
which  you  are  entitled? — I  was  a  commander-in-chief  when 
only  a  rear-admiral  of  the  blue ;  and  then  how  long  did  I 
wear  a  broad  pennant,  before  I  got  a  flag  at  all!" 

"  You  forget  how  much  I  have  been  with  you.  When  two 
serve  together,  one  must  command  and  the  other  must  obey. 
So  far  from  complaining  of  these  Hanoverian  Boards  and 
First  Lords,  it  seems  to  me  that  they  have  always  kept  in 
view  the  hoUowness  of  their  claims  to  the  throne,  and  have 
felt  a  desire  to  purchase  honest  men  by  their  favors." 

"You  are  the  strangest  fellow,  Dick  Bluewater,  it  has 
ever  been  my  lot  to  fall  in  with!     D —  me,  if  I  believe 


Il8  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

you  know  always  when  you  are  ill  treated.  There  are  a 
dozen  men  in  service  who  have  had  separate  commands, 
and  who  are  not  half  as  well  entitled  to  them  as  you  are 
yourself." 

"  Come,  come,  Oakes,  this  is  getting  to  be  puerile,  for  two 
old  fellows,  turned  of  fifty.  You  well  know  that  I  was 
offered  just  as  good  a  fleet  as  this  of  your  own,  with  a  choice 
of  the  whole  list  of  flag-officers  below  me,  to  pick  a  junior 
from;  and  so  we'll  say  no  more  about  it.  As  respects  their 
red  riband,  however,  it  may  go  a-begging  for  me." 

Sir  Gervaise  was  about  to  answer  in  his  former  vein,  when 
a  tap  at  the  door  announced  the  presence  of  another  visitor. 
This  time  the  door  opened  on  the  person  of  Galleygo,  who 
had  been  included  in  Sir  Wycherly's  hospitable  plan  of 
entertaining  every  soul  who  immediately  belonged  to  the 
suite  of  Sir  Gervaise. 

"What  the  d — 1  has  brought >'^//  here!"  exclaimed  the 
vice-admiral,  a  little  warmly;  for  he  did  not  relish  an  inter- 
ruption just  at  this  moment.  "Recollect  you're  not  on 
board  the  Plantagenet,  but  in  the  dwelling  of  a  gentleman, 
where  there  are  both  butler  and  housekeeper,  and  who  have 
no  occasion  for  your  advice,  or  authority,  to  keep  things  in 
order." 

"  Well,  there,  Sir  Gervaise,  I  doesn't  agree  with  you  the 
least  bit;  for  I  thinks  as  a  ship's  steward — I  mean  a  cabin 
steward,  and  a  good  'un  of  the  quality — might  do  a  great 
deal  of  improvement  in  this  very  house.  The  cook  and  I 
has  had  a  partic'lar  dialogue  on  them  matters  already ;  and 
I  mentioned  to  her  the  names  of  seven  different  dishes, 
every  one  of  which  she  quite  as  good  as  admitted  to  me 
was  just  the  same  as  so  much  gospel  to  //^r." 

"I  shall  have  to  quarantine  this  fellow  in  the  long  run, 
Bluewater!  I  do  believe  if  I  were  to  take  him  to  Lambeth 
Palace,  or  even  to  St.  James',  he'd  thrust  his  oar  into  the 
archbishop's  benedictions,  or  the  queen's  caudle-cup!" 

"  Well,  Sir  Gervaise,  where  would  be  the  great  harm  if  I 


THE  TWO   ADMIRALS.  II9 

did  ?  A  man  as  knows  the  use  of  an  oar  may  be  trusted 
with  one,  even  in  a  church  or  an  abbey.  When  your  honor 
comes  to  hear  what  the  dishes  was,  as  Sir  Wycherly's  cook 
had  never  heard  on,  you'll  think  it  as  great  a  cur'osity  as  I 
do  myself.  If  I  had  just  leave  to  name  'em  over,  I  think  as 
both  you  gentlemen  would  look  at  it  as  remarkable." 

"What  are  they,  Galleygo?"  inquired  Bluewater,  putting 
one  of  his  long  legs  over  an  arm  of  the  adjoining  chair,  in 
order  to  indulge  himself  in  a  yarn  with  his  friend's  steward, 
with  greater  freedom ;  for  he  greatly  delighted  in  Galleygo's 
peculiarities,  seeing  just  enough  of  the  fellow  to  find  amuse- 
ment without  annoyance  in  them.  "  I'll  answer  for  Sir 
Gervaise,  who  is  always  a  little  diffident  about  boasting  of 
the  superiority  of  a  ship  over  a  house." 

"  Yes,  your  honor,  that  he  is — that  is  just  one  of  Sir 
Jarvy's  weak  p'ints,  as  a  body  might  say.  Now,  I  never 
goes  ashore,  without  trimming  sharp  up  and  luffing  athwart 
every  person's  hawse  I  fall  in  with ;  which  is  as  much  as  to 
tell  'em  belongs  to  a  flag-ship,  and  a  racer,  and  a  craft  as 
hasn't  her  equal  on  salt-water;  no  disparagement  to  the  bit 
of  bunting  at  the  mizzen-topgallant  masthead  of  the  Caesar, 
or  to  the  ship  that  carries  it.  I  hopes  as  we  are  so  well 
acquainted,  Admiral  Bluewater,  no  offence  will  be  taken." 

"  Where  none  is  meant,  none  ought  to  be  taken,  my  friend. 
Now  let  us  hear  your  bill-of-fare." 

"  Well,  sir,  the  very  first  dish  I  mentioned  to  Mrs.  Larder, 
Sir  Wycherly's  cook,  was  lobscous ;  and,  would  you  believe 
it,  gentlemen,  the  poor  woman  had  never  heard  of  it!  I  be- 
gan with  a  light  hand,  as  it  might  be,  just  not  to  overwhelm 
her  with  knowledge,  at  a  blow,  as  Sir  Jarvy  captivated  the 
French  frigate  with  the  upper  tier  of  guns,  that  he  might 
take  her  alive,  like." 

"  And  the  lady  knew  nothing  of  a  lobscous — neither  of  its 
essence,  nor  nature?" 

"  There's  no  essences  as  is  ever  put  in  a  lobscous,  besides 
potaties,  Admiral  Bluewater;    thof  we  make  'em  in  the  old 


I20  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

Planter" — nautice  for  Plantagenet — "  in  so  liquorish  a  fash- 
ion, you  might  well  think  they  even  had  Jamaiky  in  'em. 
No,  potaties  is  the  essence  of  lobscous ;  and  a  very  good 
thing  is  a  potatie,  Sir  Jarvy,  when  a  ship's  company  has 
been  on  salted  oakum  for  a  few  months." 

"  Well,  what  was  the  next  dish  the  good  woman  broke 
down  under?"  asked  the  rear-admiral,  fearful  the  master 
might  order  the  servant  to  quit  the  room;  while  he  himself 
was  anxious  to  get  rid  of  any  further  political  discussion. 

"  Well,  sir,  she  knowed  no  more  of  a  chowder  than  if  the 
sea  weren't  in  the  neighborhood,  and  there  weren't  such  a 
thing  as  a  fish  in  all  England.  When  I  talked  to  her  of  a 
chowder,  she  gave  in,  like  a  Spaniard  at  the  fourth  or  fifth 
broadside." 

"Such  ignorance  is  disgraceful,  and  betokens  a  decline 
in  civilization !  But  you  hoisted  out  more  knowledge  for 
her  benefit,  Galleygo — small  doses  of  learning  are  poor 
things." 

"  Yes,  your  honor ;  just  like  weak  grog — burning  the  prim- 
ing, without  starting  the  shot.  To  be  sure  I  did.  Admiral 
Blue.  I  just  named  to  her  burgoo,  and  then  I  mentioned 
duff" — {angUce  dough) — ''to  her,  but  she  denied  that  there 
was  any  such  things  in  the  cookery-book.  Do  you  know,  Sir 
Jarvy,  as  these  here  shore-craft  get  their  dinners  as  our 
master  gets  the  sun ;  all  out  of  a  book  as  it  might  be.  Aw- 
ful tidings,  too,  gentlemen,  about  the  Pretender's  son ;  and 
I  s'pose  we  shall  have  to  take  the  fleet  up  into  Scotland,  as 
I  fancy  them  'ere  sogers  will  not  make  much  of  a  hand  in 
settling  law?" 

"  And  have  you  honored  us  with  a  visit,  just  to  give  us 
an  essay  on  dishes,  and  to  tell  us  what  you  intend  to  do 
with  the  fleet?"  demanded  Sir  Gervaise,  a  little  more  sternly 
than  he  was  accustomed  to  speak  to  the  steward. 

"  Lord  bless  you,  Sir  Jarvy,  I  didn't  dream  of  one  or 
t'other.  As  for  telling  you,  or  Admiral  Blue" — (so  the  sea- 
men used  to  call  the  second  in  rank) — "  here,  anything  about 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  121 

lobscous,  or  chowder,  why,  it  would  be  carrying  coals  to 
New  Market.  I've  fed  ye  both  with  all  such  articles  when 
ye  was  nothing  but  young  gentlemen ;  and  when  you  was  no 
longer  young  gentlemen,  too,  but  a  couple  of  sprightly  luffs 
of  nineteen.  And  as  for  moving  the  fleet,  I  know  well 
enough  that  will  never  happen,  without  our  talking  it 
over  in  the  old  Planter's  cabin;  which  is  a  much  more 
nat'ral  place  for  such  a  discourse  than  any  house  in  Eng- 
land!" 

"  May  I  take  the  liberty  of  inquiring,  then,  what  did  bring 
you  here.-*" 

"That  you  may,  with  all  my  heart.  Sir  Jarvy,  for  I  likes 
to  answer  your  questions.  My  errand  is  not  to  your  honor 
this  time,  though  you  are  my  master.  It's  no  great  matter, 
after  all,  being  just  to  hand  this  bit  of  a  letter  over  to  Ad- 
miral Blue." 

"  And  where  did  this  letter  come  from,  and  how  did  it 
happen  to  fall  into  your  hands?"  demanded  Bluewater,  look- 
ing at  the  superscription,  the  writing  of  which  he  appeared 
to  recognize. 

"  It  hails  from  Lun'nun,  I  hear;  and  they  tell  me  it's  to 
be  a  great  secret  that  you've  got  it  at  all.  The  history  of 
the  matter  is  just  this.  An  officer  got  in  to-night,  with 
orders  for  us,  carrying  sail  as  hard  as  his  shay  would  bear. 
It  seems  he  fell  in  with  Master  Atwood,  as  he  made  his  land- 
fall, and,  being  acquainted  with  that  gentleman,  he  just 
whipped  out  his  orders,  and  sent  'em  off  to  the  right  man. 
Then  he  laid  his  course  for  the  landing,  wishing  to  get 
aboard  of  the  Dublin,  to  which  he  is  ordered;  but  falling 
in  with  our  barge,  as  I  landed,  he  wanted  to  know  the  where- 
away  of  Admiral  Blue  here;  believing  him  to  be  afloat. 
Some  'un  telling  him  as  I  was  a  friend  and  servant  of  both 
admirals,  as  it  might  be,  he  turned  himself  over  to  me  for 
advice.  So  I  promised  to  deliver  the  letter,  as  I  had  a 
thousand  afore,  and  knowed  the  way  of  doing  such  things ; 
and  he  gives  me  the  letter,  under  special  orders,  like;   that 


122  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

is  to  say,  it  was  to  be  handed  to  the  rear-admiral  as  it  might 
be  under  the  lee  of  the  mizzen-staysail,  or  in  a  private  fash- 
ion. Well,  gentlemen,  you  both  knows  I  understand  that, 
too,  and  so  I  undertook  the  job." 

"  And  I  have  got  to  be  so  insignificant  a  person  that  I 
pass  for  no  one,  in  your  discriminating  mind.  Master  Gal- 
leygo!"  exclaimed  the  vice-admiral,  sharply.  "I  have  sus- 
pected as  much,  these  five-and-twenty  years." 

"  Lord  bless  you,  Sir  Jarvy,  how  flag-officers  will  make 
mistakes  sometimes !  They're  mortal,  I  says  to  the  people 
of  the  galley,  and  have  their  appetites  false,  just  like  the 
young  gentlemen,  when  they  get  athwart-hawse  of  a  body,  I 
says.  Now,  I  count  Admiral  Blue  and  yourself  pretty  much 
as  one  man,  seeing  that  you  keep  few  or  no  secrets  from 
each  other.  I  know'd  ye  both  as  young  gentlemen,  and  then 
you  loved  one  another  like  twins;  and  then  I  know'd  ye  as 
luffs,  when  ye'd  walk  the  deck  the  whole  watch,  spinning 
yarns;  and  then  I  know'd  ye  as  Pillardees  and  Arrestee, 
though  one  pillow  might  have  answered  for  both;  and  as 
for  Arrest,  I  never  know'd  either  of  ye  to  get  into  that  scrape. 
As  for  telling  a  secret  to  one,  I've  always  looked  upon  it  as 
pretty  much  telling  it  to  t'other." 

The  two  admirals  exchanged  glances,  and  the  look  of 
kindness  that  each  met  in  the  eyes  of  his  friend  removed 
every  shadow  that  had  been  cast  athwart  their  feelings  by 
the  previous  discourse. 

"That  will  do,  Galleygo,"  returned  Sir  Gervaise  mildly. 
"You're  a  good  fellow  in  the  main,  though  a  villanously 
rough  one " 

"A  little  of  old  Boreus,  Sir  Jarvy,"  interrupted  the  stew- 
ard, with  a  grim  smile;  "  but  it  blows  harder  at  sea  than  it 
does  ashore.  These  chaps  on  land  ar'n't  battened  down 
and  caulked  for  such  weather  as  we  sons  of  Neptun'  is  ob- 
ligated to  face." 

"  Quite  true,  and  so  good-night.  Admiral  Bluewater  and 
myself  wish  to  confer  together  for  half  an  hour;    all  that  it 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  123 

is  proper  for  you  to  know  shall  be  communicated  another 
time." 

"  Good-night,  and  God  bless  your  honor.  Good-night, 
Admiral  Blue:  we  three  is  the  men  as  can  keep  any  secret 
as  ever  floated,  let  it  draw  as  much  water  as  it  pleases." 

Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  stopped  in  his  walk,  and  gazed  at  his 
friend  with  manifest  interest,  as  he  perceived  that  Admiral 
Bluewater  was  running  over  his  letter  for  the  third  time. 
Being  now  without  a  witness,  he  did  not  hesitate  to  express 
his  apprehensions. 

"  'Tis  as  I  feared,  Dick!"  he  cried.  "  That  letter  is  from 
some  prominent  partisan  of  Edward  Stuart.-*" 

The  rear-admiral  turned  his  eyes  on  the  face  of  his  friend, 
with  an  expression  that  was  difficult  to  read ;  and  then  he 
ran  over  the  contents  of  the  epistle  for  the  fourth  time. 

"A  set  of  precious  rascals  they  are,  Gervaise!"  at  length 
the  rear-admiral  exclaimed.  "  If  the  whole  court  was  culled, 
I  question  if  enough  honesty  could  be  found  to  leaven  one 
puritan  scoundrel.  Tell  me  if  you  know  this  hand,  Oakes? 
I  question  if  you  ever  saw  it  before." 

The  superscription  of  the  letter  was  held  out  to  Sir  Ger- 
vaise, who,  after  a  close  examination,  declared  himself 
unacquainted  with  the  writing. 

"  I  thought  as  much,"  resumed  Bluewater,  carefully  tear- 
ing the  signature  from  the  bottom  of  the  page,  and  burning 
it  in  a  candle;  "  let  this  disgraceful  part  of  the  secret  die  at 
least.  The  fellow  who  wrote  this  has  put  *confidentiar  at 
the  top  of  his  miserable  scrawl;  and  a  most  confident 
scoundrel  he  is  for  his  pains.  However,  no  man  has  a  right 
to  thrust  himself  in  this  rude  manner  between  me  and  my 
oldest  friend;  and  least  of  all  will  I  consent  to  keep  this 
piece  of  treachery  from  your  knowledge,  I  do  more  than 
the  rascal  merits  in  concealing  his  name;  nevertheless,  I 
shall  not  deny  myself  the  pleasure  of  sending  him  such  an 
answer  as  he  deserves.  Read  that,  Oakes,  and  then  say  if 
keel-hauling  would  be  too  good  for  the  writer." 


124  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

Sir  Gervaise  took  the  letter  in  silence,  though  not  without 
great  surprise,  and  began  to  peruse  it.  As  he  proceeded, 
the  color  mounted  to  his  temples,  and  once  he  dropped  his 
hand,  to  cast  a  look  of  wonder  and  indignation  toward  his 
companion.  That  the  reader  may  see  how  much  occasion 
there  was  for  both  these  feelings,  we  shall  give  the  com- 
munication entire.     It  was  couched  in  the  following  words: 

"  Dear  Admiral  Bluewater  : 

"  Our  ancient  friendship,  and,  I  am  proud  to  add,  affinity 
of  blood,  unite  in  inducing  me  to  write  a  line,  at  this  inter- 
esting moment.  Of  the  result  of  this  rash  experiment  of 
the  Pretender's  son,  no  prudent  man  can  entertain  a  doubt. 
Still  the  boy  may  give  us  some  trouble  before  he  is  disposed 
of  altogether.  We  look  to  all  our  friends,  therefore,  for 
their  most  efficient  exertions  and  most  prudent  co-operation. 
On yo/i  every  reliance  is  placed;  and  I  wish  I  could  say  as 
much  for  every  flag-officer  afloat.  Some  distrust — unmerited, 
I  sincerely  hope — exists  in  a  very  high  quarter,  touching 
the  loyalty  of  a  certain  commander-in-chief,  who  is  so  com- 
pletely under  your  observation  that  it  is  felt  enough  is  done 
in  hinting  the  fact  to  one  of  your  political  tendencies.  The 
king  said  this  morning, 'Veil,  dere  isht  Bluevater;  of  him 
we  are  shure  asht  of  ter  sun.'  You  stand  excellently  well 
there^  to  my  great  delight;  and  I  need  only  say  be  watchful 
and  prompt. 

"  Yours,  with  the  most  sincere  faith  and  attachment,  my 
dear  Bluewater,  &c.,  &c. 

*'  Rear- Admiral  Bluewater. 

"P.S. — I  have  just  heard  that  they  have  sent  you  the  red 
riband.     The  king  himself  was  in  this." 

When  Sir  Gervaise  had  perused  this  precious  epistle  to 
himself,  he  read  it  slowly,  and  in  a  steady,  clear  voice, 
aloud.  When  he  had  ended  he  dropped  the  paper,  and 
stood  gazing  at  his  friend. 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  125 

"One  would  think  the  fellow  some  exquisite  satirist," 
said  Bluewater,  laughing.  "  /  am  to  be  vigilant,  and  see 
that  you  do  not  mutiny,  and  run  away  with  the  fleet  to  the 
Highlands,  one  of  these  foggy  mornings!  Carry  it  up  into 
Scotland,  as  Galleygo  has  it!  Now,  what  is  your  opinion 
of  that  letter?" 

•'That  all  courtiers  are  knaves  and  all  princes  ungrateful. 
'I  should  think  my  loyalty  to  the  good  cause^  if  not  to  the 
ina?i^  the  last  in  England  to  be  suspected." 

"  Nor  is  it  suspected  in  the  smallest  degree.  My  life  on 
it,  neither  the  reigning  monarch  nor  his  confidential  servants 
are  such  arrant  dunces  as  to  be  guilty  of  so  much  weakness. 
No,  this  masterly  move  is  intended  to  secure  me  by  creating 
a  confidence  that  they  think  no  generous-minded  man  would 
betray.  It  is  a  hook,  delicately  baited  to  catch  a  gudgeon, 
and  not  an  order  to  watch  a  whale." 

"  Can  the  scoundrels  be  so  mean — nay,  dare  they  be  so 
bold!  They  must  have  known  you  would  show  me  the 
letter." 

"  Not  they — they  have  reasoned  on  my  course  as  they 
would  on  their  own.  Nothing  catches  a  weak  man  sooner 
than  a  pretended  confidence  of  this  nature ;  and  I  dare  say 
this  blackguard  rates  me  just  high  enough  to  fancy  I  may  be 
duped  in  this  flimsy  manner.  Put  your  mind  at  rest;  King 
George  knows  he  may  confide  in  you^  while  I  think  it  prob- 
able /am  distrusted." 

"  I  hope,  Dick,  you  do  not  suspect  my  discretion !  My 
own  secret  would  not  be  half  so  sacred  to  me." 

"  I  know  that,  full  well.  Of  you  I  entertain  no  distrust, 
either  in  heart  or  head ;  of  myself,  I  am  not  quite  so  certain. 
When  we  feel^  we  do  not  always  reason ;  and  there  is  as 
much  feeling  as  anything  else  in  this  matter." 

"Not  a  line  is  there  in  all  my  despatches  that  go  to  be- 
tray the  slightest  distrust  of  me  or  any  one  else.  You  are 
spoken  of,  but  it  is  in  a  manner  to  gratify  you  rather  than 
to  alarm.     Take,  and  read  them  allj    I  intended  to  show 


126  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

them  to  you  as  soon  as  we  had  got  through  with  that  cursed 
discussion." 

As  Sir  Gervaise  concluded,  he  threw  the  whole  package 
of  letters  on  the  table,  before  his  friend. 

"It  will  be  time  enough  when  you  summon  me  regularly 
to  a  council  of  war,"  returned  Bluewater,  laying  the  letters 
gently  aside.  "  Perhaps  we  had  better  sleep  on  this  affair; 
in  the  morning  we  shall  meet  with  cooler  heads,  and  just  as 
warm  hearts." 

"  Good-night,  Dick,"  said  Sir  Gervaise,  holding  out  both 
hands  for  the  other  to  shake  as  he  passed  him  in  quitting 
the  room. 

"Good-night,  Gervaise;  let  this  miserable  devil  go  over- 
board, and  think  no  more  of  him.  I  have  half  a  mind  to 
ask  you  for  a  leave  to-morrow,  just  to  run  up  to  London, 
and  cut  off  his  ears." 

Sir  Gervaise  laughed  and  nodded  his  head,  and  the  two 
friends  parted,  with  feelings  as  kind  as  ever  had  distin- 
guished their  remarkable  career. 


:hapter  VIII. 

"  Look  to't,  think  on't,  I  do  not  use  to  jest. 
Thursday  is  near  ;  lay  hand  on  heart,  advise  ; 
An'  you  be  mine,  I'll  give  you  to  my  friend  ; 
An'  you  be  not,  hang,  beg,  starve,  die  i'  the  streets." 

Romeo  and  Juliet. 

WvcHECOMBE  Hall  had  most  of  the  peculiarities  of  a  bach- 
elor's dwelling  in  its  internal  government;  nor  was  it  in  any 
manner  behind,  or,  it  might  be  better  say,  before  the  age  in 
its  modes  and  customs  connected  with  jollifications.  When 
its  master  relaxed  a  little,  the  servants  quite  uniformly  imi- 
tated his  example.  Sir  Wycherly  kept  a  plentiful  table,  and 
the  servants'  hall  fared  nearly  as  well  as  the  dining-room; 
the  single  article  of  wine  excepted.     In  lieu  of  the  latter, 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  12/ 

however,  was  an  unlimited  allowance  of  double-brewed  ale; 
and  the  difference  in  the  potations  was  far  more  in  the  name 
than  in  the  quality  of  the  beverages.  The  master  drank 
port;  for  in  the  middle  of  the  last  century  few  Englishmen 
had  better  wine — and  port,  too,  that  was  by  no  means  of  a 
very  remarkable  delicacy,  but  which,  like  those  who  used  it, 
was  rough,  honest,  and  strong;  while  the  servant  had  his 
malt  liquor  of  the  very  highest  stamp  and  flavor.  Between 
indifferent  wine  and  excellent  ale  the  distance  is  not  inter- 
minable; and  Sir  Wycherly's  household  was  well  aware  of 
the  fact,  having  frequently  instituted  intelligent  practical 
comparisons,  by  means  of  which  all  but  the  butler  and  Mrs. 
Larder  had  come  to  the  conclusion  to  stand  by  the  home- 
brewed. 

On  the  present  occasion  not  a  soul  in  the  house  was  igno- 
rant of  the  reason  why  the  baronet  was  making  a  night  of  it. 
Every  man,  woman,  and  child  in  or  about  the  Hall  was  a 
devoted  partisan  of  the  house  of  Hanover;  and  as  soon  as 
it  was  understood  that  this  feeling  was  to  be  manifested  by 
drinking  "  Success  to  King  George,  and  God  bless  him,"  on 
the  one  side,  and  "  Confusion  to  the  Pretender  and  his  mad 
son,"  on  the  other,  all  under  the  roof  entered  into  the  duty 
with  a  zeal  that  might  have  seated  a  usurper  on  a  throne,  if 
potations  could  do  it. 

When  Admiral  Bluewater,  therefore,  left  the  chamber  of 
his  friend,  the  signs  of  mirth  and  of  a  regular  debauch  were 
so  very  obvious  that  a  little  curiosity  to  watch  the  result 
and  a  disinclination  to  go  off  to  his  ship  so  soon  united  to 
induce  him  to  descend  into  the  rooms  below,  with  a  view  to 
get  a  more  accurate  knowledge  of  the  condition  of  the  house- 
hold. In  crossing  the  great  hall  to  enter  the  drawing-room, 
he  encountered  Galleygo,  when  the  following  discourse  took 
place. 

"  I  should  think  the  master-at-arms  has  not  done  his  duty, 
and  dowsed  the  glim  below,  Master  Steward,"  said  the  rear- 
admiral,  in  his  quiet  way,  as  they  met;  "the  laughing  and 


128  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

singing  and  hiccupping  are  all  upon  a  very  liberal  scale 
for  a  respectable  country-house." 

Galleygo  touched  the  lock  of  hair  on  his  forehead  with 
one  hand,  and  gave  his  trousers  a  slew  with  the  other,  be- 
fore he  answered ;  which  he  soon  did,  however,  though  with 
a  voice  a  little  thicker  than  was  usual  with  him,  on  account 
of  his  having  added  a  draught  or  two  to  those  he  had  taken 
previously  to  visiting  Sir  Gervaise's  dressing-room;  and 
which  said  additional  draught  or  two  had  produced  some 
such  effect  on  his  system  as  the  fresh  drop  produces  on  the 
cup  that  is  already  full. 

"That's  just  it,  Admiral  Blue,"  returned  the  steward,  in 
passing  good-humor,  though  still  sober  enough  to  maintain 
the  decencies  after  his  own  fashion;  "that's  just  it,  your 
honor.  They've  passed  the  word  below  to  let  the  lights 
stand  for  further  orders,  and  have  turned  the  hands  up  for  a 
frolic.  Such  ale  as  they  has,  stowed  in  the  lower  hold  of 
this  house,  like  leaguers  in  the  ground-tier,  it  does  a  body's 
heart  good  to  conter'plate.  All  hands  is  bowsing  out  their 
jibs  on  it,  sir,  and  the  old  Hall  will  soon  be  carrying  as 
much  siiail  as  she  can  stagger  under.  It's  nothing  but  loose 
away  and  sheet-home." 

"  Ay,  ay,  Galleygo,  this  may  be  well  enough  for  the  peo- 
ple of  the  household,  if  Sir  Wycherly  allows  it;  but  it  ill 
becomes  the  servants  of  guests  to  fall  into  this  disorder.  If 
I  find  Tom  has  done  anything  amiss,  he  will  hear  more  of 
it;  and  as  your  own  master  is  not  here  to  admonish  you,  I'll 
just  take  the  liberty  of  doing  it  for  him,  since  I  know  it 
would  mortify  him  exceedingly  to  learn  that  his  steward  had 
done  anything  to  disgrace  himself." 

"Lord  bless  your  dear  soul.  Admiral  Blue,  take  just  as 
many  liberties  as  you  think  fit,  and  I'll  never  pocket  one  on 
*em.  I  know'd  you,  when  you  was  only  a  young  gentleman, 
and  now  you're  a  rear.  You're  close  on  our  heels;  and  by 
the  time  we  are  a  full  admiral,  you'll  be  something  like  a 
vice.     I  looks  upon  you  as  bone  of  our  bone,  and  flesh  of 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  129 

our  flesh — Pillardees  and  Arrestees — and  I  no  more  minds 
a  setting-down  from  your  honor  than  I  does  from  Sir  Jarvy 
hisself." 

"I  believe  that  is  true  enough,  Galleygo;  but  take  my 
advice,  and  knock  off  with  the  ale  for  to-night.  Can  you 
tell  me  how  the  land  lies,  with  the  rest  of  the  company?" 

*'  You  couldn't  have  asked  a  better  person,  your  honor,  as 
I've  just  been  passing  through  all  the  rooms,  from  a  sort  of 
habit  I  has,  sir;  for,  d'ye  see,  I  thought  I  was  in  the  old 
Planter,  and  that  it  was  my  duty  to  overlook  everything  as 
usual.  The  last  pull  at  the  ale  put  that  notion  in  my  head; 
but  it's  gone  now,  and  I  see  how  matters  is.  Yes,  sir,  the 
mainmast  of  a  church  isn't  stiffer  and  more  correct- like  than 
my  judgment  is  at  this  blessed  moment.  Sir  Wycherly  guv' 
me  a  glass  of  his  black-strap  as  I  ran  through  the  dining- 
room,  and  told  me  to  drink  *  Confusion  to  the  Pretender,' 
which  I  did  with  hearty  good-will;  but  his  liquor  will  no 
more  lay  alongside  of  the  ale  they've  down  on  the  orlop 
than  a  Frenchman  will  compare  with  an  Englishman. 
What's  your  opinion.  Admiral  Blue,  consarning  this  cruise 
of  the  Pretender's  son  up  in  the  Highlands  of  Scot- 
land?" 

Bluewater  gave  a  quick,  distrustful  glance  at  the  steward, 
for  he  knew  that  the  fellow  was  half  his  time  in  the  outer 
cabin  and  pantries  of  the  Plantagenet,  and  he  could  not  tell 
how  much  of  his  many  private  dialogues  with  Sir  Gervaise 
might  have  been  overheard.  Meeting  with  nothing  but  the 
unmeaning  expression  of  one  half-seas-over,  his  uneasiness 
instantly  subsided. 

"  I  think  it  a  gallant  enterprise,  Galleygo,"  he  answered, 
too  manly  even  to  feign  what  he  did  not  believe;  "but  I 
fear  as  a  cruise  it  will  not  bring  much  prize-money.  You 
have  forgotten  you  were  about  to  tell  me  how  the  land  lies. 
Sir  Wycherly,  Mr.  Button,  Mr.  Rotherham  are  still  at  the 
table,  I  fancy — are  these  all?  What  have  become  of  the  two 
young  gentlemen?'* 
9 


I30  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"There's  none  ashore,  sir,"  said  Galleygo  promptly, 
accustomed  to  give  that  appellation  only  to  midshipmen. 

"  I  mean  the  two  Mr.  Wychecombes ;  one  of  whom,  I  had 
forgot,  is  actually  an  officer." 

"  Yes,  sir,  and  a  most  partic'lar  fine  officer  he  is,  as  every- 
body says.  Well,  sir,  he's  with  the  ladies;  while  his  name- 
sake has  gone  back  to  the  table,  and  has  put  luff  upon  luff, 
to  fetch  up  leeway." 

"  And  the  ladies — what  have  they  done  with  themselves, 
in  this  scene  of  noisy  revelry?" 

"They'se  in  yonder  stateroom,  your  honor.  As  soon  as 
they  found  how  the  ship  was  heading,  like  all  women-craft, 
they  both  makes  for  the  best  harbor  they  could  run  into. 
Yes,  they'se  yonder." 

As  Galleygo  pointed  to  the  door  of  the  room  he  meant, 
Bluewater  proceeded  towards  it,  parting  with  the  steward  after 
a  few  more  words  of  customary  but  very  useless  caution. 
The  tap  of  the  admiral  was  answered  by  Wycherly  in  person, 
who  opened  the  door,  and  made  way  for  his  superior  to 
enter,  with  a  respectful  obeisance.  There  was  but  a  single 
candle  in  the  little  parlor,  in  which  the  two  females  had 
taken  refuge  from  the  increasing  noise  of  the  debauch;  and 
this  was  due  to  a  pious  expedient  of  Mildred's,  in  extin- 
guishing the  others,  with  a  view  to  conceal  the  traces  of 
tears  that  were  still  visible  on  her  own  and  her  mother's 
cheeks.  The  rear-admiral  was  at  first  struck  with  this  com- 
parative obscurity ;  but  it  soon  appeared  to  him  appropriate 
to  the  feelings  of  the  party  assembled  in  the  room.  Mrs. 
Button  received  him  with  the  ease  she  had  acquired  in  her 
early  life,  and  the  meeting  passed  as  a  matter  of  course  with 
persons  temporarily  residing  under  the  same  roof. 

"Our  friends  appear  to  be  enjoying  themselves,"  said 
Bluewater,  when  a  shout  from  the  dining-room  forced  itself 
on  the  ears  of  all  present.  "The  loyalty  of  Sir  Wycherly 
seems  to  be  of  proof." 

"Oh!  Admiral  Bluewater,"  exclaimed  the  distressed  wife, 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  I3I 

feeling  momentarily  getting  the  better  of  discretion;  ^^ do 
you — can  you  call  such  a  desecration  of  God's  image  enjoy- 
ment?" 

"Not  justly,  perhaps,  Mrs.  Button;  and  yet  it  is  what 
millions  mistake  for  it.  This  mode  of  celebrating  any  great 
event,  and  even  of  illustrating  what  we  think  our  principles, 
is,  I  fear,  a  vice  not  only  of  our  age,  but  of  our  country." 

"And  yet  neither  you  nor  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes,  I  see,  find 
it  necessary  to  give  such  a  proof  of  your  attachment  to  the 
house  of  Hanover,  or  of  your  readiness  to  serve  it  with  your 
time  and  persons." 

"  You  will  remember,  my  good  lady,  that  both  Oakes  and 
myself  are  flag-officers  in  command,  and  it  would  never  do 
for  us  to  fall  into  a  debauch  in  sight  of  our  own  ships.  I 
am  glad  to  see,  however,  that  Mr.  Wychecombe,  here,  prefers 
such  society  as  I  find  him  in  to  the  pleasures  of  the  table." 

Wycherly  bowed,  and  Mildred  cast  an  expressive,  not  to 
say  grateful,  glance  towards  the  speaker;  but  her  mother 
pursued  the  discourse,  in  which  she  found  a  little  relief  to 
her  suppressed  emotion. 

" God  be  thanked  for  that!"  she  exclaimed,  half-uncon- 
scious of  the  interpretation  that  might  be  put  on  her  words. 
"  All  that  we  have  seen  of  Mr.  Wychecombe  would  lead  us 
to  believe  that  this  is  not  an  unusual  or  an  accidental 
forbearance." 

"  So  much  the  more  fortunate  for  him.  I  congratulate 
you,  young  sir,  on  this  triumph  of  principle,  or  of  tempera- 
ment, or  of  both.  We  belong  to  a  profession  in  which  the 
bottle  is  an  enemy  more  to  be  feared  than  any  that  the  king 
can  give  us.  A  sailor  can  call  in  no  ally  as  efficient  in 
subduing  this  mortal  foe  as  an  intelligent  and  cultivated 
mind.  The  man  who  really  thinks  much,  seldom  drinks 
much;  but  there  are  hours — nay,  weeks  and  months  of  idle- 
ness in  a  ship,  in  which  the  temptation  to  resort  to  unnatural 
excitement  in  quest  of  pleasure  is  too  strong  for  minds  that 
are  not  well  fortified  to  resist.     This  is  particularly  the  case 


132  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

with  commanders,  who  find  themselves  isolated  by  their  rank 
and  oppressed  with  responsibility  in  the  privacy  of  their 
own  cabins,  and  get  to  make  a  companion  of  the  bottle,  by 
way  of  seeking  relief  from  uncomfortable  thoughts  and  of 
creating  a  society  of  their  own.  I  deem  the  critical  period 
of  a  sailor's  life  to  be  the  first  few  years  of  solitary  com- 
mand." 

"How  true! — how  true!"  murmured  Mrs.  Dutton.  "Oh! 
that  cutter — that  cruel  cutter!" 

The  truth  flashed  upon  the  recollection  of  Blue  water  at 
this  unguarded  and  instantly  regretted  exclamation.  Many 
years  before,  when  only  a  captain  himself,  he  had  been  a 
member  of  a  court-martial  which  cashiered  a  lieutenant  of 
the  name  of  Dutton,  for  grievous  misconduct  while  in  com- 
mand of  a  cutter;  the  fruits  of  the  bottle.  From  the  first  he 
thought  the  name  familiar  to  him;  but  so  many  similar 
things  had  happened  in  the  course  of  forty  years'  service 
that  this  particular  incident  had  been  partially  lost  in  the 
obscurity  of  time.  It  was  now  completely  recalled,  however ; 
and  that,  too,  with  all  its  attendant  circumstances.  The 
recollection  served  to  give  the  rear-admiral  renewed  interest 
in  the  unhappy  wife  and  lovely  daughter  of  the  miserable 
delinquent.  He  had  been  applied  to  at  the  time  for  his 
interest  in  effecting  the  restoration  of  the  guilty  officer,  or 
even  to  procure  for  him  the  hopeless  station  he  now  actually 
occupied;  but  he  had  sternly  refused  to  be  a  party  in  plac- 
ing any  man  in  authority  who  was  the  victim  of  a  propensity 
that  not  only  disgraced  himself,  but  which,  in  the  peculiar 
position  of  a  sailor,  equally  jeoparded  the  honor  of  the 
country  and  risked  the  lives  of  all  around  him.  He  was 
aware  that  the  last  application  had  been  successful,  by 
means  of  a  court  influence  it  was  very  unusual  to  exert  in 
cases  so  insignificant;  and  then  he  had  for  years  lost  sight 
of  the  criminal  and  his  fortunes.  This  unexpected  revival 
of  his  old  impressions  caused  him  to  feel  like  an  ancient 
friend  of  the  wife  and  daughter;  for  well  could  he  recall  a 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  1 33 

scene  he  had  with  both,  in  which  the  struggle  between  his 
humanity  and  his  principles  had  been  so  violent  as  actually 
to  reduce  him  to  tears.  Mildred  had  forgotten  the  name  of 
this  particular  officer,  having  been  merely  a  child ;  but  well 
did  Mrs.  Button  remember  it,  and  with  fear  and  trembling 
had  she  come  that  day  to  meet  him  at  the  Hall.  The  first 
look  satisfied  her  that  she  was  forgotten,  and  she  had 
struggled  herself  to  bury  in  oblivion  a  scene  which  was  one 
of  tlie  most  painful  of  her  life.  The  unguarded  expression 
mentioned  entirely  changed  the  state  of  affairs. 

"  Mrs.  Button,"  said  Bluewater,  kindly  taking  a  hand  of 
the  distressed  wife;  "I  believe  we  are  old  friends;  if,  after 
what  has  passed,  you  will  allow  me  so  to  consider  myself." 

"  Ah !  Admiral  Bluewater,  my  memory  needed  no  admon- 
isher  to  tell  me  that.  Your  sympathy  and  kindness  are  as 
grateful  to  me  now  as  they  were  in  that  dreadful  moment 
when  we  met  before." 

"And  I  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  this  young  lady  more 
than  once  on  that  unpleasant  occasion.  This  accounts  for 
a  fancy  that  has  fairly  haunted  me  throughout  the  day ;  for, 
from  the  instant  my  eye  fell  on  Miss  Mildred,  it  struck  me 
that  the  face,  and  most  of  all  its  expression,  was  familiar  to 
me.  Certainly  it  is  not  a  countenance,  once  seen,  easily  to 
be  forgotten." 

"Mildred  was  then  but  a  child,  sir,  and  your  recollection 
must  have  been  a  fancy  indeed,  as  children  of  her  age  sel- 
dom make  any  lasting  impression  on  the  mind,  particularly 
in  the  way  of  features." 

"It  is  not  the  features  that  I  recognize,  but  the  expres- 
sion; and  that,  I  need  not  tell  the  young  lady's  mother,  is 
an  expression  not  so  very  easily  forgotten.  I  dare  say  Mr. 
Wychecombe  is  ready  enough  to  vouch  for  the  truth  of  what 
I  say." 

"Hark!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Button,  who  was  sensitively 
alive  to  any  indication  of  the  progress  of  the  debauch. 
"There  is  great  confusion  in  the  dining-room! — I  hope  the 


134  '^^^   "^^^    ADMIRALS. 

gentlemen  are  of  one  mind  as  respects  this  rising  in  Scot- 
land!" 

"  If  there  is  a  Jacobite  among  them,  he  will  have  a  warm 
time  of  it;  with  Sir  Wycherly,  his  nephew,  and  the  vicar — 
all  three  of  whom  are  raging  lions  in  the  way  of  loyalty. 
There  does,  indeed,  seem  something  out  of  the  way,  for 
those  sounds,  I  should  think,  are  the  feet  of  servants,  run- 
ning to  and  fro.  If  the  servants'  hall  is  in  the  condition  I 
suspect,  it  will  as  much  need  the  aid  of  the  parlor  as  the 
parlor  can  possibly " 

A  tap  at  the  door  caused  Bluewater  to  cease  speaking; 
and,  as  Wycherly  threw  open  the  entrance,  Galleygo  appeared 
on  the  threshold,  by  this  time  reduced  to  the  necessity  of 
holding  on  by  the  casings. 

"Well,  sir,"  said  the  rear-admiral  sternly,  for  he  was  no 
longer  disposed  to  trifle  with  any  of  the  crapulous  set; 
"well,  sir,  what  impertinence  has  brought  you  here?" 

"  No  impertinence  at  all,  your  honor;  we  carries  none  of 
that  in  the  old  Planter.  There  being  no  young  gentlemen 
hereabouts  to  report  proceedings,  I  thought  I'd  just  step  in 
and  do  the  duty  with  my  own  tongue.  We  has  so  many  re- 
ports in  our  cabin,  that  there  isn't  an  officer  in  the  fleet  that 
can  make  'em  better  as  myself,  sir." 

"  There  are  a  hundred  who  would  spend  fewer  words  on 
anything.     What  is  your  business?" 

"  Why,  sir,  just  to  report  one  flag  struck  and  a  commander- 
in-chief  on  his  beam-ends." 

"Good  God!  Nothing  has  happened  to  Sir  Gervaise — 
speak,  fellow,  or  I'll  have  you  sent  out  of  this  Babel,  and 
off  to  the  ship,  though  it  were  midnight." 

"  It  be  pretty  much  that,  Admiral  Blue;  or  past  six  bells, 
as  any  one  may  see  by  the  ship's  clock  on  the  great  com- 
panion ladder;  six  bells,  going  well  on  to  seven " 

"  Your  business,  sir !  what  has  happened  to  Sir  Gervaise  ?" 
repeated  Bluewater,  shaking  his  long  forefinger  menacingly 
at  the  steward. 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  1 35 

**  We  are  as  well,  Admiral  Blue,  as  the  hour  we  came  over 
the  Planter's  side.  Sir  Jarvy  will  carry  sail  with  the  best 
on  'em,  I'll  answer  for  it,  whether  the  ship  floats  in  old  Port 
Oporto  or  in  a  brewer's  vat.  Let  Sir  Jarvy  alone  for  them 
tricks — he  wasn't  a  young  gentleman  for  nothing." 

*'  Have  a  moment's  patience,  sir,"  put  in  Wycherly,  "  and 
I  will  go  myself  and  ascertain  the  truth." 

*'  I  shall  make  but  another  inquiry,"  continued  Admiral 
Bluewater.  as  Wycherly  left  the  room. 

**Why,  d'ye  see,  your  honor,  old  Sir  Wycherly,  who  is 
commander-in-chief  along  shore  here,  has  capsized  in  con- 
sequence of  carrying  sail  too  hard  in  company  with  younger 
craft;  and  they're  now  warping  him  into  dock  to  be  over- 
hauled." 

"  Is  this  all? — that  was  a  result  to  be  expected  in  such  a 
debauch.  You  need  not  have  put  on  so  ominous  a  face  for 
this,  Galleygo." 

"  No,  sir,  so  I  thought  myself ;  and  I  only  tried  to  look 
as  melancholy  as  a  young  gentleman  who  is  sent  below  to 
report  a  topgallantmast  over  the  side  or  a  studding-sail 
boom  gone  in  the  iron.  D'ye  remember  the  time.  Admiral 
Blue,  when  you  thought  to  luff  up  on  the  old  Planter's 
weather-quarter,  and  get  between  her  and  the  French  ninety 
on  three  decks,  and  how  your  stu'n-sails  went,  one  a'ter  an- 
other, just  like  so  many  musherrooms  breaking  in  peeling?" 

Galleygo,  who  was  apt  to  draw  his  images  from  his  two 
trades,  might  have  talked  on  an  hour  without  interruption ; 
for  while  he  was  uttering  the  above  sentence,  Wycherly  re- 
turned and  reported  that  their  host  was  seriously,  even  dan- 
gerously ill.  While  doing  the  honors  of  his  table,  he  had 
been  seized  with  a  fit,  which  the  vicar,  a  noted  three-bottle 
man,  feared  was  apoplexy.  Mr.  Rotherham  had  bled  the 
patient,  who  was  already  a  little  better,  and  an  express  had 
been  sent  for  a  medical  man.  As  a  matter  of  course,  the 
co7ivives  had  left  the  table,  and  alarm  was  frightening  the 
servants  into  sobriety.     At  Mrs.  Button's  earnest  request, 


136  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

Wycherly  immediately  left  the  room  again,  forcing  Galleygo 
out  before  him,  with  a  view  to  get  more  accurate  information 
concerning  the  baronet's  real  situation;  both  the  mother  and 
daughter  feeling  a  real  affection  for  Sir  Wycherly,  the  kind 
old  man  having  won  their  hearts  by  his  habitual  benevolence 
and  a  constant  concern  for  their  welfare. 

"  Sic  transit  gloria  mimdi^^''  muttered  Admiral  Bluewater, 
as  he  threw  his  tall  person,  in  his  own  careless  manner,  on 
a  chair  in  a  dark  corner  of  the  room.  "This  baronet  has 
fallen  from  his  throne  in  a  moment  of  seeming  prosperity 
and  revelry;  why  may  not  another  do  the  same?" 

Mrs.  Button  heard  the  voice,  without  distinguishing  the 
words,  and  she  felt  distressed  at  the  idea  that  one  whom  she 
so  much  respected  and  loved  might  be  judged  of  harshly  by 
a  man  of  the  rear-admiral's  character. 

"  Sir  Wycherly  is  one  of  the  kindest-hearted  men  breath- 
ing," she  said,  a  little  hurriedly;  "  and  there  is  not  a  better 
landlord  in  England.  Then  he  is  by  no  means  addicted  to 
indulgence  at  table  more  than  is  customary  with  gentlemen 
of  his  station.  His  loyalty  has,  no  doubt,  carried  him  this 
evening  farther  than  was  prudent  or  than  we  could  have 
wished." 

"  I  have  every  disposition  to  think  favorably  of  our  poor 
host,  my  dear  Mrs.  Button,  and  •  we  seamen  are  not  accus- 
tomed to  judge  a  hon  7' iv  a  fit  too  harshly." 

"Ah!  Admiral  Bluewater,  j^//,  who  have  so  widespread  a 
reputation  for  sobriety  and  correct  deportment!  Well  do  I 
remember  how  I  trembled  when  T  heard  your  name  men- 
tioned as  one  of  the  leading  members  of  that  dreadful 
court!" 

"  You  let  your  recollections  dwell  too  much  on  these  un- 
pleasant subjects,  Mrs.  Button,  and  I  should  like  to  see  you 
setting  an  example  of  greater  cheerfulness  to  your  sweet 
daughter.  I  could  not  befriend  you  thefi,  for  my  oath  and 
my  duty  were  both  against  it;  but  fwzv  there  exists  no  pos- 
sible reason  why  I  should  not,  while  there  does  exist  almost 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  1 37 

every  possible  disposition  why  I  should.  This  sweet  child 
interests  me  in  a  way  I  can  hardly  describe." 

Mrs.  Button  was  silent  and  thoughtful.  The  years  of 
Admiral  Bluewater  did  not  absolutely  forbid  his  regarding 
Mildred's  extreme  beauty  with  the  eyes  of  ordinary  admira- 
tion ;  but  his  language,  and  most  of  all  his  character,  ought 
to  repel  the  intrusive  suspicion.  Still  Mildred  was  surpass- 
ingly lovely,  and  men  were  surpassingly  weak  in  matters 
of  love.  Many  a  hero  has  passed  a  youth  of  self-command 
and  discretion,  to  consummate  some  act  of  exceeding  folly 
of  this  very  nature  in  the  decline  of  life;  and  bitter  experi- 
ence had  taught  her  to  be  distrustful.  Nevertheless,  she 
could  not  at  once  bring  herself  to  think  ill  of  one  whose 
character  she  had  so  long  respected;  and,  with  all  the  rear- 
admiral's  directness  of  manner,  there  w^as  so  much  real  and 
feeling  delicacy,  blended  with  the  breeding  of  a  gentleman- 
like sailor,  that  it  was  not  easy  to  suppose  he  had  any  other 
motives  than  those  he  saw  fit  to  avow.  Mildred  had  made 
many  a  friend  by  a  sweetness  of  countenance  that  was  even 
more  winning  than  her  general  beauty  of  face  and  form  was 
attractive;  and  why  should  not  this  respectable  old  seaman 
be  of  the  number? 

This  train  of  thought  was  interrupted  by  the  sudden  and 
unwelcome  appearance  of  Button.  He  had  just  returned 
from  the  bedside  of  Sir  Wycherly,  and  now  came  to  seek  his 
wife  and  daughter,  to  bid  them  prepare  to  enter  the  chariot 
which  was  in  waiting  to  convey  them  home.  The  miserable 
man  was  not  intoxicated,  in  the  sense  w-hich  deprives  a  man 
of  the  use  of  speech  and  limbs;  but  he  had  drunk  quite 
enough  to  awaken  the  demon  within  him,  and  to  lay  bare  the 
secrets  of  his  true  character.  If  anything,  his  nerves  were 
better  strung  than  common;  but  the  wine  had  stirred  up  all 
the  energies  of  a  being  whose  resolutions  seldom  took  the 
direction  of  correct  feeling  or  of  right  doing.  The  darkness 
of  the  room,  and  a  slight  confusion  which  nevertheless  ex- 
isted in  his  brain,  prevented  him  from  noticing  the  person 


138  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

of  his  superior,  seated,  as  the  latter  was,  in  the  dark  corner; 
and  he  believed  himself  once  more  alone  with  those  who 
were  so  completely  dependent  on  his  mercy,  and  who  had 
so  long  been  the  subjects  of  his  brutality  and  tyranny. 

"  I  hope  Sir  Wycherly  is  better,  Button,"  the  wife  com- 
menced, fearful  that  her  husband  might  expose  himself  and 
her  before  he  was  aware  of  the  presence  in  which  he  stood. 
"  Admiral  Bluewater  is  as  anxious  as  we  are  ourselves  to 
know  his  real  state." 

"Ay,  you  women  are  all  pity  and  feeling  for  baronets  and 
rear-admirals,"  answered  Button,  throwing  himself  rudely 
into  a  chair,  with  his  back  toward  the  stranger,  in  an  attitude 
completely  to  exclude  the  latter  from  his  view ;  "  while  a 
husband  or  father  might  die  a  hundred  deaths,  and  not  draw 
a  look  of  pity  from  your  beautiful  eyes  or  a  kind  word  from 
your  devilish  tongues." 

"Neither  Mildred  nor  I  merit  this  irom you^  Button!" 

"No,  you're  both  perfection;  like  mother,  like  child. 
Haven't  I  been  fifty  times  at  death's  door  with  this  very 
complaint  of  Sir  Wycherly's,  and  did  either  of  you  ever  send 
for  an  apothecary  even?" 

"You  have  been  occasionally  indisposed.  Button,  but 
never  apoplectic;  and  we  have  always  thought  a  little  sleep 
would  restore  you;  as,  indeed,  it  always  has." 

"  What  business  had  you  to  t/iink  ?  Surgeons  think,  and 
medical  men,  and  it  was  your  duty  to  send  for  the  nearest 
professional  man,  to  look  after  one  you're  bound  both  to 
honor  and  obey.  You  are  your  own  mistress,  Martha,  I  do 
suppose,  in  a  certain  degree;  and  what  can't  be  cured  must 
be  endured;  but  Mildred  is  my  child;  and  I'll  have  her 
respect  and  love,  if  I  break  both  your  hearts  in  order  to  gQt 
at  them." 

"  A  pious  daughter  always  respects  her  parent,  Button," 
said  the  wife,  trembling  from  head  to  foot;  "but  love  must 
come  willingly,  or  it  will  not  come  at  all." 

"We'll  see  as  to  that,  Mrs.  Martha  Button;  we'll  see  as 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  1 39 

to  that.  Come  hither,  Mildred;  I  have  a  word  to  say  to 
you,  which  may  as  well  be  said  at  once." 

Mildred,  trembling  like  her  mother,  drew  near;  but,  with 
a  feeling  of  filial  piety  that  no  harshness  could  entirely 
smother,  she  felt  anxious  to  prevent  the  father  from  further 
exposing  himself  in  the  presence  of  Admiral  Bluewater. 
With  this  view  then,  and  with  this  view  only,  she  summoned 
firmness  enough  to  speak. 

"  Father,"  she  said,  "  had  we  not  better  defer  our  family 
matters  until  we  are  alone?" 

Under  ordinary  circumstances  Bluewater  would  not  have 
waited  for  so  palpable  a  hint,  for  he  would  have  retired  on 
the  first  appearance  of  anything  so  disagreeable  as  a  misun- 
derstanding between  man  and  wife.  But  an  ungovernable 
interest  in  the  lovely  girl,  who  stood  trembling  at  her  father's 
knee,  caused  him  to  forget  his  habitual  delicacy  of  feeling 
and  to  overlook  what  might  perhaps  be  termed  almost  a  law 
of  society.  Instead  of  moving,  therefore,  as  Mildred  had 
both  hoped  and  expected,  he  remained  motionless  in  his 
seat.  Button's  mind  was  too  obtuse  to  comprehend  his 
daughter's  allusions,  in  the  absence  of  ocular  evidence  of  a 
stranger's  presence,  and  his  wrath  was  too  much  excited  to 
permit  him  to  think  much  of  anything  but  his  own  causes  of 
indignation. 

"  Stand  more  in  front  of  me,  Mildred,"  he  answered  an- 
grily. "  More  before  my  face,  as  becomes  one  who  don't 
know  her  duty  to  her  parent,  and  needs  be  taught  it." 

"  Oh !  Button,"  exclaimed  the  afflicted  wife ;  "  do  not — do 
not — accuse  Mildred  of  being  undutiful !  You  know  not 
what  you  say — know  not  her  obliga — you  cannot  know  her 
hearty  or  you  would  not  use  these  cruel  imputations!" 

"  Silence,  Mrs.  Martha  Button — my  business  is  not  with 
you  at  present,  but  with  this  young  lady,  to  whom,  I  hope,  I 
may  presume  to  speak  a  little  plainly,  as  she  is  my  own 
child.  Silence,  then,  Mrs.  Martha  Button.  If  my  memory 
is  not  treacherous,  you  once  stood  up  before  God's  altar  with 


140  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

me,  and  there  vow'd  to  love,  honor,  and  obey.  Yes,  that  was 
the  word;  obey,  Mrs.  Martha  Button." 

"And  what  did  you  promise  at  the  same  time,  Frank?" 
exclaimed  the  wife,  from  whose  bruised  spirit  this  implied 
accusation  was  torn  in  an  agony  of  mental  suffering. 

"  Nothing  but  what  I  have  honestly  and  manfully  per- 
formed. I  promised  to  provide  for  you;  to  give  you  food 
and  raiment;  to  let  you  bear  my  name,  and  stand  before  the 
world  in  the  honorable  character  of  honest  Frank  Button's 
wife." 

"Honorable!"  murmured  the  wife,  loud  enough  to  be 
heard  by  both  the  Admiral  and  Mildred,  and  yet  in  a  tone 
so  smothered  as  to  elude  the  obtuse  sense  of  hearing  that 
long  excess  had  left  her  husband.  When  this  expressive 
word  had  broken  out  of  her  very  heart,  however,  she  suc- 
ceeded in  suppressing  her  voice,  and,  sinking  into  a  chair, 
concealed  her  face  in  her  hands  in  silence. 

"  Mildred,  come  hither,"  resumed  the  brutalized  parent. 
"  You  are  my  daughter,  and  whatever  others  have  promised 
at  the  altar  and  forgotten,  a  law  of  nature  teaches  you  to 
obey  me.  You  have  two  admirers,  either  of  whom  you  ought 
to  be  glad  to  secure,  though  there  is  a  great  preference 
between  them " 

"  Father!"  exclaimed  Mildred,  every  feeling  of  her  sensi- 
tive nature  revolting  at  this  coarse  allusion  to  a  connection 
and  to  sentiments  that  she  was  accustomed  to  view  as  among 
the  most  sacred  and  private  of  her  moral  being.  "  Surely, 
you  cannot  mean  what  you  say!" 

"  Like  mother,  like  child!  Let  but  disobedience  and  dis- 
respect get  possession  of  a  wife,  and  they  are  certain  to  run 
through  a  whole  family,  even  though  there  were  a  dozen 
children!  Harkee,  Miss  Mildred,  it  is  you  who  don't  hap- 
pen to  know  what  you  say,  while  I  understand  myself  as 
well  as  most  parents.  Your  mother  would  never  acquaint 
you  with  what  I  feel  it  a  duty  to  put  plainly  before  your 
judgment;  and  therefore  I  expect  you  to  listen  as  becomes 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  I4I 

a  dutiful  and  affectionate  child.  You  can  secure  either  of 
these  young  Wychecombes,  and  either  of  them  would  be  a 
good  match  for  a  poor,  disgraced  sailing-master's  daugh- 
ter." 

"  Father,  I  shall  sink  through  the  floor  if  you  say  another 
word  in  this  cruel  manner!" 

"No,  dear;  you'll  neither  sink  nor  swim,  unless  it  be  by 
making  a  bad  or  a  good  choice.  Mr.  Thomas  Wychecombe 
is  Sir  Wycheriy's  heir,  and  must  be  the  next  baronet  and 
possessor  of  this  estate.  Of  course  he  is  much  the  best 
thing,  and  you  ought  to  give  him  a  preference." 

"  Button,  ca7i  you,  as  a  father  and  a  Christian,  give  such 
heartless  counsel  to  your  own  child!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  But- 
ton, inexpressibly  shocked  at  the  want  of  principle  as  well 
as  at  the  want  of  feeling  discovered  in  her  husband's  advice. 

"  Mrs.  Martha  Button,  I  can ;  and  believe  the  counsel  to 
be  anything  but  heartless,  too.  Bo  you  wish  your  daughter 
to  be  the  wife  of  a  miserable  signal-station  keeper,  when 
she  may  become  Lady  Wychecombe  with  a  little  prudent 
management,  and  the  mistress  of  this  capital  old  house  and 
noble  estate?" 

"  Father — father,"  interrupted  Mildred  soothingly,  though 
ready  to  sink  with  shame  at  the  idea  of  Admiral  Bluewater's 
being  an  auditor  of  such  a  conversation ;  "  you  forget  your- 
self and  overlook  my  wishes.  There  is  little  probability  of 
Mr.  Thomas  Wychecombe's  ever  thinking  of  me  as  a  wife 
— or,  indeed,  of  any  one  else's  entertaining  such  thoughts." 

"That  will  turn  out  as  you  manage  matters,  Milly.  Mr. 
Thomas  Wychecombe  does  not  think  of  you  as  a  ivife  quite 
likely  just  at  this  moment;  but  the  largest  whales  are  taken 
by  means  of  very  small  lines,  when  the  last  are  properly 
handled.  This  young  lieutenant  would  have  you  to-morrow ; 
though  a  more  silly  thing  than  for  you  two  to  marry  could 
not  well  be  hit  upon.  He  is  only  a  lieutenant;  and  though 
his  name  is  so  good  a  one,  it  does  not  appear  that  he  has 
any  particular  right  to  it." 


142  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"  And  yet,  Button,  you  were  only  a  lieutenant  when  you 
married,  and  your  name  was  ?iothi?ig  in  the  way  of  interest  or 
preferment,"  observed  the  mother,  anxious  to  interpose  some 
new  feeling  between  her  daughter  and  the  cruel  inference 
left  by  the  former  part  of  her  husband's  speech.  "  We  then 
thought  all  lay  bright  before  us!" 

"And  so  all  would  lie  to  this  hour,  Mrs.  Button,  but  for 
that  one  silly  act  of  mine.  A  man  with  the  charges  of  a 
family  on  him,  little  pay,  and  no  fortune,  is  driven  to  a 
thousand  follies  to  hide  his  misery.  You  do  not  strengthen 
your  case  by  reminding  me  of  that  imprudence.  But,  Mil- 
dred, I  do  not  tell  you  to  cut  adrift  this  young  Virginian, 
for  he  may  be  of  use  in  more  ways  than  one.  In  the  first 
place,  you  can  play  him  off  against  Mr.  Thomas  Wyche- 
combe;  and,  in  the  second  place,  a  lieutenant  is  likely  one 
day  to  be  a  captain;  and  the  wife  of  a  captain  in  His  Maj- 
esty's navy  is  no  disreputable  berth.  I  advise  you,  girl,  to 
use  this  youngster  as  a  bait  to  catch  the  heir  with;  and, 
failing  a  good  bite,  to  take  up  with  the  lad  himself." 

This  was  said  dogmatically,  but  with  a  coarseness  of 
manner  that  fully  corresponded  with  the  looseness  of  the 
principles  and  the  utter  want  of  delicacy  of  feeling  that 
alone  could  prompt  such  advice.  Mrs.  Button  fairly 
groaned  as  she  listened  to  her  husband,  for  never  before  had 
he.  so  completely  thrown  aside  the  thin  mask  of  decency  that 
he  ordinarily  wore;  but  Mildred,  unable  to  control  the  burst 
of  wild  emotion  that  came  over  her,  broke  away  from  the 
place  she  occupied  at  her  father's  knee,  and,  as  if  blindly 
seeking  protection  in  any  asylum  that  she  fancied  safe,  found 
herself  sobbing  as  if  her  heart  would  break  in  Admiral 
Bluewater's  arms. 

Button  followed  the  ungovernable,  impulsive  movement 
with  his  eye,  and  for  the  first  time  he  became  aware  in  whose 
presence  he  had  been  exposing  his  native  baseness.  Wine 
had  not  so  far  the  mastery  of  him  as  to  blind  him  to  all  the 
consequences,  though  it  did  stimulate  him  to  a  point  that 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  I43 

enabled  him  to  face  the  momentary  mortification  of  his 
situation. 

"  I  beg  a  thousand  pardons,  sir,"  he  said,  rising  and  bow- 
ing low  to  his  superior;  "I  was  totally  ignorant  that  I  had 
the  honor  to  be  in  the  company  of  Admiral  Bluewater — 
Admiral  Blue,  I  find  Jack  calls  you,  sir;  ha-ha-ha — a  fa 
miliarity  which  is  a  true  sign  of  love  and  respect.  I  nevei 
knew  a  captain  or  a  flag-officer  that  got  a  regular,  expressive 
ship's  name,  that  he  wasn't  the  delight  of  the  whole  service. 
Yes,  sir;  I  find  the  people  call  Sir  Gervaise,  Little  Jarvy, 
and  yourself,  Admiral  Blue — ha-ha-ha — an  infallible  sign 
of  merit  in  the  superior  and  of  love  in  the  men." 

"I  ought  to  apologize,  Mr.  Button,  for  making  one,  so 
unexpectedly  to  myself,  in  a  family  council,"  returned  the 
rear-admiral.  "  As  for  the  men,  they  are  no  great  philoso- 
phers, though  tolerable  judges  of  when  they  are  well  com- 
manded and  well  treated.  But  the  hour  is  late,  and  it  was 
my  intention  to  sleep  in  my  own  ship  to-night.  The  coach 
of  Sir  Wycherly  has  been  ordered  to  carry  me  to  the  land- 
ing, and  I  hope  to  have  your  permission  to  see  these  ladies 
home  in  it." 

The  answer  of  Button  was  given  with  perfect  self-posses- 
sion, and  in  a  manner  to  show  that  he  knew  how  to  exercise 
the  courtesies  of  life  or  to  receive  them  when  in  the  humor. 

"It  is  an  honor,  sir,  they  will  not  think  of  declining,  if 
my  wishes  are  consulted,"  he  said.  "Come,  Milly,  foolish 
girl,  dry  your  tears  and  smile  on  Admiral  Bluewater  for  his 
condescension.  Young  women,  sir,  hardly  know  how  to 
take  a  joke;  and  our  ship's  humors  are  sometimes  a  little 
strong  for  them.  I  tell  my  dear  wife  sometimes — *  Wife,'  I 
say, '  His  Majesty  can't  have  stout-hearted  and  stout-handed 
seamen,  and  the  women  poets  and  die-away  swains,  and  all 
in  the  same  individual,'  says  I.  Mrs.  Button  understands 
me,  sir;  and  so  does  little  Milly;  who  is  an  excellent  girl 
in  the  main;  though  a  little  addicted  to  using  the  eye- 
pumps,  as  we  have  it  aboard  ship,  sir." 


144  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

'^  And  now.  Mr.  Button,  it  being  understood  that  I  am  to 
seethe  ladies  home,  will  you  do  me  the  favor  to  inquire  after 
the  condition  of  Sir  Wycherly?  One  would  not  wish  to 
quit  his  hospitable  roof  in  uncertainty  as  to  his  actual 
situation." 

Dutton  was  duly  sensible  of  an  awkwardness  in  the  pres- 
ence of  his  superior,  and  he  gladly  profited  by  this  commis- 
sion to  quit  the  room;  walking  more  steadily  than  if  he  had 
not  been  drinking. 

All  this  time  Mildred  hung  on  Admiral  Bluewater's  shoul- 
der, weeping,  and  unwilling  to  quit  a  place  that  seemed  to 
her,  in  her  fearful  agitation,  a  sort  of  sanctuary. 

"  Mrs.  Dutton,"  said  Bluewater,  first  kissing  the  cheek  of 
his  lovely  burden,  in  a  manner  so  parental  that  the  most 
sensitive  delicacy  could  not  have  taken  the  alarm,  "you  will 
succeed  better  than  myself  in  quieting  the  feelings  of  this 
little  trembler.  I  need  hardly  say  that  if  I  have  acciden- 
tally overheard  more  than  I  ought,  it  is  as  much  a  secret 
with  me  as  it  would  be  with  your  own  brother.  The  charac- 
ters of  all  cannot  be  affected  by  the  mistaken  and  excited 
calculations  of  one ;  and  this  occasion  has  served  to  make 
me  better  acquainted  with  you  and  your  admirable  daughter 
than  I  might  otherwise  have  been  by  means  of  years  of 
ordinary  intercourse." 

"Oh,  Admiral  Bluewater,  do  not  judge  him  /oo  harshly! 
He  has  been  too  long  at  that  fatal  table,  which  I  fear  has 
destroyed  poor,  dear  Sir  Wycherly,  and  knew  not  what  he 
said.  Never  before  have  I  seen  him  in  such  a  fearful  hu- 
mor, or  in  the  least  disposed  to  trifle  with  or  to  wound  the 
feelings  of  this  sweet  child!" 

"  Her  extreme  agitation  is  a  proof  of  this,  my  good  mad- 
am, and  shows  all  you  can  wish  to  say.  View  me  as  your 
sincere  friend,  and  place  every  reliance  on  my  discretion." 

The  wounded  mother  listened  with  gratitude,  and  Mildred 
withdrew  from  her  extraordinary  situation,  wondering  by  what 
species  of  infatuation  she  could  have  been  led  to  adopt  it. 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  I45 


CHAPTER   IX. 


Ah,  Montague, 


If  thou  be  there,  sweet  brother,  take  my  hand, 
And  with  thy  lips  keep  in  my  soul  awhile  ! 
Thou  lov'st  me  not  ;  for,  brother,  if  thou  didst, 
Thy  tears  would  wash  this  cold  congealed  blood 
That  glues  my  lips,  and  will  not  let  me  speak. 
Come  quickly,  Montague,  or  I  am  dead." 

King  Henry  VI. 

Sir  Wycherly  had  actually  been  seized  with  a  fit  of  apo- 
plexy. It  was  the  first  serious  disease  he  had  experienced 
in  a  long  life  of  health  and  prosperity;  and  the  sight  of 
their  condescending,  good-humored,  and  indulgent  master 
in  a  plight  so  miserable  had  a  surprising  effect  on  the 
heated  brains  of  all  the  household.  Mr.  Rotherham,  a  good 
three-bottle  man,  on  emergency  had  learned  to  bleed,  and 
fortunate  the  vein  he  struck,  as  his  patient  still  lay  on  the 
floor  where  he  had  fallen,  sent  out  a  stream  that  had  the 
effect  not  only  to  restore  the  baronet  to  life,  but,  in  a  great 
measure,  to  consciousness.  Sir  Wycherly  was  not  a  hard 
drinker  like  Button;  but  he  was  2l  fair  drinker,  like  Mr. 
Rotherham  and  most  of  the  beneficed  clergy  of  that  day. 
Want  of  exercise,  as  he  grew  older,  had  as  much  influence 
in  producing  his  attack  as  excess  of  wine;  and  there  were 
already  strong  hopes  of  his  surviving  it,  aided  as  he  was  by 
a  good  constitution.  The  apothecary  had  reached  the  Hall 
within  five  minute  after  the  attack,  having  luckily  been  pre- 
scribing to  the  gardener;  and  the  physician  and  surgeon  of 
the  family  were  both  expected  in  the  course  of  the  mornin-g. 
Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  had  been  acquainted  with  the  state  of 
his  host  by  his  own  valet,  as  soon  as  it  was  known  in  the 
servants'  hall,  and,  being  a  man  of  action,  he  did  not  hesi- 
tate to  proceed  at  once  to  the  chamber  of  the  sick,  to  offer 
his  own  aid,  in  the  absence  of  that  which  might  be  better. 
At  the  door  of  the  chamber  he  met  Atwood,  who  had  been 
10 


146  THE  TWO   ADMIRALS. 

summoned  from  his  pen,  and  they  entered  together,  the  vice- 
admiral  feeling  for  a  lancet  in  his  pocket,  for  he,  too,  had 
acquired  the  art  of  the  blood-letter.  They  now  learned  the 
actual  state  of  things. 

"Where  is  Bluewater.?"  demanded  Sir  Gervaise,  after  re- 
garding his  host  a  moment  with  commiseration  and  concern. 
"  I  hope  he  has  not  yet  left  the  house." 

*'  He  is  still  here,  Sir  Gervaise,  but  I  should  think  on  the 
point  of  quitting  us.  I  heard  him  say  that,  notwithstanding 
all  Sir  Wycherly's  kind  plans  to  detain  him,  he  intended  to 
sleep  in  his  own  ship." 

"That  I've  never  doubted,  though  I've  affected  to  believe 
otherwise.  Go  to  him,  Atwood,  and  say  I  beg  he  will  pull 
within  hail  of  the  Plantagenet  as  he  goes  off,  and  desire  Mr. 
Magrath  to  come  ashore  as  soon  as  possible.  There  shall 
be  a  conveyance  at  the  landing  to  bring  him  here;  and  he 
may  order  his  own  surgeon  to  come  also,  if  it  be  agreeable 
to  himself." 

With  these  instructions  the  secretary  left  the  room;  while 
Sir  Gervaise  turned  to  Tom  Wychecombe  and  said  a  few  of 
the  words  customary  on  such  melancholy  occasions. 

"I  think  there  is  hope,  sir,"  he  added,  "yes,  sir,  I  think 
there  is  hope;  though  your  honored  relative  is  no  longer 
young — still,  this  early  bleeding  has  been  a  great  thing; 
and  if  we  can  gain  a  little  time  for  poor  Sir  Wycherly,  our 
efforts  will  not  be  thrown  away.  Sudden  death  is  awful, 
sir,  and  few  of  us  are  prepared  for  it,  either  in  mind  or 
affairs.  We  sailors  have  to  hold  our  lives  in  our  hands,  it 
is  true,  but  then  it  is  for  king  and  country ;  and  we  hope  for 
mercy  on  all  who  fall  in  the  discharge  of  their  duties.  For 
my  part  I  am  never  unprovided  with  a  will,  and  that  dis- 
poses of  all  the  interests  of  this  world,  while  I  humbly  trust 
in  the  Great  Mediator  for  the  hereafter.  I  hope  Sir  Wych- 
erly is  equally  provident  as  to  his  worldly  affairs?" 

"  No  doubt  my  dear  uncle  could  wish  to  leave  certain 
trifling  memorials  behind  him  to  a  few  of  his  intimates/' 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  1 4/ 

returned  Tom,  with  a  dejected  countenance ;  "  but  he  has  not 
been  without  a  will,  I  believe,  for  some  time;  and  I  pre- 
sume you  will  agree  with  me  in  thinking  he  is  not  in  a  con- 
dition to  make  one  now,  were  he  unprovided  in  that  way?'' 

"  Perhaps  not  exactly  at  this  moment,  though  a  rally  might 
afford  an  opportunity.  The  estate  is  entailed,  I  think  Mr. 
Dutton  told  me,  at  dinner." 

"  It  is,  Sir  Gervaise,  and  I  am  the  unworthy  individual 
who  is  to  profit  by  it,  according  to  the  common  notions  of 
men,  though  Heaven  knows  I  shall  consider  it  anything  but 
a  gain;  still  I  am  the  unworthy  individual  who  is  to  be 
benefited  by  my  uncle's  death." 

"  Your  father  was  the  baronet's  next  brother?"  observed 
Sir  Gervaise  casually,  a  shade  of  distrust  passing  athwart 
his  mind,  though  coming  from  what  source,  or  directed  to 
what  point,  he  was  himself  totally  unable  to  say.  "  Mr. 
Baron  Wychecombe,  I  believe,  was  your  parent?" 

"  He  was.  Sir  Gervaise,  and  a  most  tender  and  indulgent 
father  I  ever  found  him.  He  left  me  his  earnings,  some 
seven  hundred  a  year,  and  I  am  sure  the  death  of  Sir  Wych- 
erly  is  as  far  from  my  necessities  as  it  is  from  my  wishes." 

"Of  course  you  will  succeed  to  the  baronetcy  as  well  as 
to  the  estate?"  mechanically  asked  Sir  Gervaise,  led  on  by 
the  supererogatory  expressions  of  Tom  himself,  rather  than 
by  a  vulgar  curiosity,  to  ask  questions  that  under  other  cir- 
cumstances he  might  have  thought  improper. 

"  Of  course,  sir.  My  father  was  the  only  surviving  brother 
of  Sir  Wycherly;  the  only  one  who  ever  married;  and  I  am 
his  eldest  child.  Since  this  melancholy  event  has  occurred 
it  is  quite  fortunate  that  I  lately  obtained  this  certificate  of 
the  marriage  of  my  parents — is  it  not,  sir?" 

Here  Tom  drew  from  his  pocket  a  soiled  piece  of  paper, 
which  professed  to  be  a  certificate  of  the  marriage  of  Thomas 
Wychecombe,  barrister,  with  Martha   Dodd,  spinster,  &c., 
&c.     The  document  was  duly  signed  by  the  rector  of  a  par 
ish  church  in  Westminster,  and  bore  a  date  sufficiently  old 


148  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

to  estaolish  the  legitimacy  of  the  person  who  held  it.  This 
extraordinary  precaution  produced  the  very  natural  effect  of 
increasing  the  distrust  of  the  vice-admiral,  and,  in  a  slight 
degree,  of  giving  it  a  direction. 

"You  go  well  armed,  sir,"  observed  Sir  Gervaise  drily. 
"  Is  it  your  intention,  when  you  succeed,  to  carry  the  patent 
of  the  baronetcy  and  the  title-deeds  in  your  pocket?" 

"  Ah !  I  perceive  my  having  this  document  strikes  you  as 
odd.  Sir  Gervaise,  but  it  can  be  easily  explained.  There 
was  a  wide  difference  in  rank  between  my  parents,  and  some 
ill-disposed  persons  have  presumed  so  far  to  reflect  on  the 
character  of  my  mother  as  to  assert  she  was  not  married  at 
all." 

"  In  which  case,  sir,  you  would  do  well  to  cut  off  half-a- 
dozen  of  their  ears." 

"  The  law  is  not  to  be  appeased  in  that  way.  Sir  Gervaise. 
My  dear  parent  used  to  inculcate  on  me  the  necessity  of 
doing  everything  according  to  law;  and  I  endeavor  to  re- 
member his  precepts.  He  avowed  his  marriage  on  his  death- 
bed, made  all  due  atonement  to  my  respected  and  injured 
mother,  and  informed  me  in  whose  hands  I  should  find  this 
very  certificate;  I  only  obtained  it  this  morning,  which  fact 
will  account  for  its  being  in  my  pocket  at  this  melancholy 
and  unexpected  crisis  in  my  beloved  uncle's  constitution." 

The  latter  part  of  Tom's  declaration  was  true  enough; 
for,  after  having  made  all  the  necessary  inquiries,  and  ob- 
tained the  handwriting  of  a  clergyman  who  was  long  since 
dead,  he  had  actually  forged  the  certificate  that  day  on  a 
piece  of  soiled  paper  that  bore  the  water-mark  of  1720. 
His  language,  however,  contributed  to  alienate  the  confi- 
dence of  his  listener;  Sir  Gervaise  being  a  man  who  was  so 
much  accustomed  to  directness  and  fair-dealing  himself  as 
to  feel  disgust  at  anything  that  had  the  semblance  of  cant 
or  hypocrisy.  Nevertheless,  he  had  his  own  motives  for 
pursuing  the  subject;  the  presence  of  neither  at  the  bedside 
of  the  sufferer  being  just  then  necessary. 


THE  TWO   ADMIRALS.  149 

"  And  this  Mr.  Wycherly  Wychecombe,"  he  said ;  "  he 
who  has  so  much  distinguished  himself  of  late;  your  uncle's 
namesake; — is  it  true  that  he  is  not  allied  to  your  family?" 

"  Not  in  the  least,  Sir  Gervaise,"  answered  Tom,  with  one 
of  his  sinister  smiles.  "  He  is  only  a  Virginian,  you  know, 
sir,  and  cannot  well  bebng  to  us.  I  have  heard  my  uncle 
say  often  that  the  young  gentleman  must  be  descended  from 
an  old  servant  of  his  father's,  who  was  transported  for  steal- 
ing silver  out  of  a  shop  on  Ludgate  Hill,  and  who  was  ar- 
rested for  passing  himself  off  as  one  of  the  Wychecombe 
family.  They  tell  me,  Sir  Gervaise,  that  the  colonies  are 
pretty  much  made  of  persons  descended  from  that  sort  of 
ancestors?" 

"  I  cannot  say  that  I  have  found  it  so ;  though,  when  I 
commanded  a  frigate,  I  served  several  years  on  the  North 
American  station.  The  larger  portion  of  the  Americans, 
like  much  the  larger  portion  of  the  English,  are  humble 
laborers,  established  in  a  remote  colony,  where  civilization 
is  not  far  advanced,  wants  are  many,  and  means  few;  but, 
in  the  way  of  character,  I  am  not  certain  that  they  are  not 
quite  on  a  level  with  those  they  left  behind  them;  and,  as 
to  the  gentry  of  the  colonies,  I  have  seen  many  men  of  the 
best  blood  of  the  mother  country  among  them; — younger 
sons,  and  their  descendants,  as  a  matter  of  course,  but  of  an 
honorable  and  respected  ancestry." 

"Well,  sir,  this  surprises  me;  and  it  is  not  the  general 
opinion,  I  am  persuaded!  Certainly,  it  is  not  the  fact  as 
respects  the  gentleman — stranger,  I  might  call  him,  for 
stranger  he  is  at  Wychecombe — who  has  not  the  least  right 
to  pretend  to  belong  to  us." 

"  Did  you  ever  know  him  to  lay  claim  to  that  honor, 
sir?" 

"Not  directly.  Sir  Gervaise;  though  I  am  told  he  has 
made  many  hints  to  that  effect,  since  he  landed  here  to  be 
cured  of  his  wound.  It  would  have  been  better  had  he  pre- 
sented his  rights  to  the  landlord  than  to  present  them  to  the 


150  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

tenants,  I  think  you  will  allow,  as  a  man  of  honor  yourself, 
Sir  Gervaise?" 

"  I  can  approve  of  nothing  clandestine  in  matters  that  re- 
quire open  and  fair  dealing,  Mr.  Thomas  Wychecombe. 
But  I  ought  to  apologize  for  thus  dwelling  on  your  family 
affairs,  which  concern  me  only  as  I  feel  an  interest  in  the 
wishes  and  happiness  of  my  new  acquaintance,  my  excellent 
host." 

"  Sir  Wycherly  has  property  in  the  funds  that  is  not  en- 
tailed— quite  ^1,000  a  year,  beyond  the  estates — and  I  know 
he  has  left  a  will,"  continued  Tom;  who,  with  the  short- 
sightedness of  a  rogue,  flattered  himself  with  having  made 
a  favorable  impression  on  his  companion,  and  who  was  de« 
sirous  of  making  him  useful  to  himself,  in  an  emergency 
that  he  felt  satisfied  must  terminate  in  the  speedy  death  of 
his  uncle.  "  Yes,  a  good  ^1,000  a  year,  in  the  fives ;  money 
saved  from  his  rents  in  a  long  life.  This  will  probably  has 
some  provision  in  favor  of  my  younger  brothers;  and  per- 
haps of  this  namesake  of  his,"^ — Tom  was  well  aware  that 
it  devised  every  shilling,  real  and  personal,  to  himself; — 
"  for  a  kinder  heart  does  not  exist  on  earth.  In  fact  this 
will  my  uncle  put  in  my  possession,  as  heir  at  law,  feeling 
it  due  to  my  pretensions,  I  suppose;  but  I  have  never  pre- 
sumed to  look  into  it." 

Here  was  another  instance  of  excessive  finesse,  in  which 
Tom  awakened  suspicion  by  his  very  efforts  to  allay  it.  It 
leemed  highly  improbable  to  Sir  Gervaise  that  a  man  like 
the  nephew  could  long  possess  his  uncle's  will,  and  feel  no 
desire  to  ascertain  its  contents.  The  language  of  the  young 
man  was  an  indirect  admission  that  he  might  have  examined 
the  will  if  he  would ;  and  the  admiral  felt  disposed  to  sus- 
pect that  what  he  might  thus  readily  have  done  he  actually 
had  done.  The  dialogue,  however,  terminated  here;  But- 
ton just  at  that  moment  entering  the  room  on  the  errand  on 
which  he  had  been  sent  by  Admiral  Bluewater,  and  Tom 
joining  his  old  acquaintance  as  soon  as  the  latter  made  his 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  I5I 

appearance.  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  was  too  much  concerned 
for  the  condition  of  his  host,  and  had  too  many  cares  of  his 
own,  to  think  deeply  or  long  on  what  had  just  passed  between 
himself  and  Tom  Wychecombe.  Had  they  separated  that 
night,  what  had  been  said,  and  the  unfavorable  impressions 
it  had  made,  would  have  been  soon  forgotten ;  but  circum- 
stances subsequently  conspired  to  recall  the  whole  to  his 
mind,  of  which  the  consequences  will  be  related  in  the 
course  of  our  narrative. 

Button  appeared  to  be  a  little  shocked  as  he  gazed  upon 
the  pallid  features  of  Sir  Wycherly,  and  he  was  not  sorry 
when  Tom  led  him  aside  and  began  to  speak  confidentially 
of  the  future  and  of  the  probable  speedy  death  of  his  uncle. 
Had  there  been  one  present  gifted  with  the  power  of  read- 
ing the  thoughts  and  motives  of  men,  a  deep  disgust  of  hu- 
man frajlties  must  have  come  over  him  as  these  two  impure 
spirits  betrayed  to  him  their  cupidity  and  cunning.  Out- 
wardly, they  were  friends  mourning  over  a  mutual  probable 
loss;  while  inwardly  Button  was  endeavoring  to  obtain  such 
a  hold  of  his  companion's  confidence  as  might  pave  the  way 
to  his  own  future  preferment  to  the  high  and  unhoped-for 
station  of  a  rich  baronet's  father-in-law;  while  Tom  thought 
only  of  so  far  mystifying  the  master  as  to  make  use  of  him 
on  an  emergency  as  a  witness  to  establish  his  own  claims. 
The  manner  in  which  he  endeavored  to  effect  his  object, 
however,  must  be  left  to  the  imagination  of  the  reader,  as 
we  have  matters  of  greater  moment  to  record  at  this  particu- 
lar juncture. 

From  the  time  Sir  Wycherly  was  laid  on  his  bed,  Mr. 
Rotherham  had  been  seated  at  the  sick  man's  side  watching 
the  course  of  his  attack,  and  ready  to  interpret  any  of  the 
patient's  feebly  and  indistinctly  expressed  wishes.  We  say 
indistinctly,  because  the  baronet's  speech  was  slightly 
affected  with  that  species  of  paralysis  which  reduces  the 
faculty  to  the  state  that  is  vulgarly  called  thick-tongued. 
Although  a  three-bottle  man,  Mr.  Rotherham  was  far  from 


152  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

being  without  his  devout  feelings  on  occasions,  discharging 
all  the  clerical  functions  with  as  much  unction  as  the  habits 
of  the  country  and  the  opinions  of  the  day  ordinarily  ex- 
acted of  divines.  He  had  even  volunteered  to  read  the 
prayers  for  the  sick  as  soon  as  he  perceived  that  the  pa- 
tient's recollection  had  returned;  but  this  kind  offer  had 
been  declined  by  Sir  Wycherly,  under  the  clearer  views  of 
fitness  that  the  near  approach  of  death  is  apt  to  give,  and 
which  views  left  a  certain  consciousness  that  the  party  as- 
sembled was  not  in  the  best  possible  condition  for  that  sa- 
cred office.  Sir  Wycherly  revived  so  much  at  last  as  to  look 
about  him  with  increasing  consciousness;  and  at  length  his 
eyes  passed  slowly  over  the  room,  scanning  each  person 
singly,  and  with  marked  deliberation. 

"  I  know  you  all — now,"  said  the  kind«-hearted  baronet, 
though  always  speaking  thick,  and  with  a  little  difficulty; 
"am  sorry  to  give — much  trouble.  I  have — little  time  to 
spare." 

"  I  hope  not.  Sir  Wycherly,"  put  in  the  vicar,  in  a  conso- 
latory manner;  "  you  have  had  a  sharp  attack,  but  then  there 
is  a  good  constitution  to  withstand  it." 

"My  time — short — feel  it  here,"  rejoined  the  patient, 
passing  his  hand  over  his  forehead. 

"  Note  that,  Button,"  whispered  Tom  Wycherly.  "  My 
poor  uncle  intimates  himself  that  his  mind  is  a  little  shaken. 
Under  such  circumstances  it  would  be  cruel  to  let  him 
injure  himself  with  business.'' 

"  It  cannot  be  done  lega?Iy,  Mr.  Thomas — I  should  think 
Admiral  Oakes  would  interfere  to  prevent  it." 

"  Rotherham,"  continued  the  patient,  "  I  will — settle  with 
— world;  then  give — thoughts — to  God.  Have  we — guests 
— the  house? — Men  of  family — character?" 

"Certainly,  Sir  Wycherly;  Admiral  Oakes  is  in  the  room 
even;  and  Admiral  Bluewater  is,  I  believe,  still  in  the 
house.     You  invited  both  to  pass  the  night  with  you." 

"  I  remember  it — now ;  my  mind — still — confused," — here 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  1 55 

Tom  Wychecombe  again  nudged  the  master — "  Sir  Gervaise 
Oakes — an  Admiral — ancient  baronet — man  of  high  honor. 
Admiral  Bluewater,  too — relative — Lord  Bluewater;  gentle- 
man— universal  esteem.  You,  too,  Rotherham;  wish  my 
poor  brother  James — St.  James — used  to  call  him — had  been 
living ; — you — good  neighbor — Rotherham." 

"Can  I  do  anything  to  prove  it,  my  dear  Sir  Wycherly? 
Nothing  would  make  me  happier  than  to  know  and  to  com- 
ply with  all  your  wishes  at  a  moment  so  important!" 

"  Let  all  quit — room — but  yourself — head  feels  worse — I 
cannot  delay " 

"  'Tis  cruel  to  distress  my  beloved  uncle  with  business  or 
conversation  in  his  present  state,"  interposed  Tom  Wyche- 
combe with  emphasis,  and,  in  a  slight  degree,  with  au- 
thority. 

All  not  only  felt  the  truth  of  this  but  all  felt  that  the 
speaker,  by  his  consanguinity,  had  a  clear  right  to  interfere 
in  the  manner  he  had.  Still  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  had  great 
reluctance  in  yielding  to  this  remonstrance;  for,  to  the  dis- 
trust he  had  imbibed  of  Tom  Wychecombe,  was  added  an 
impression  that  his  host  wished  to  reveal  something  of  in- 
terest in  connection  with  his  new  favorite,  the  lieutenant. 
He  felt  compelled,  notwithstanding,  to  defer  to  the  acknowl- 
edged nephew's  better  claims,  and  he  refrained  from  inter- 
fering. Fortunately,  Sir  Wycherly  was  yet  in  a  state  to 
enforce  his  own  wishes. 

"  Let  all  quit — room,"  he  repeated  in  a  voice  that  was 
startling  by  its  unexpected  firmness  and  equally  unexpected 
distinctness.  "  All  but  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes — Admiral  Blue- 
water — Mr.  Rotherham.  Gentlemen — favor  to  remain — rest 
depart." 

Accustomed  to  obey  their  master's  orders,  more  especially 
when  given  in  a  tone  so  decided,  the  domestics  quitted  the 
room,  accompanied  by  Button ;  but  Tom  Wychecombe  saw 
fit  to  remain,  as  if  his  presence  were  to  be  a  matter  of  course. 

"  Do  me — favor — withdraw, — Mr.  Wychecombe,"  resumed 


154  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

the  baronet,  aftef  fixing  his  gaze  on  his  nephew  for  some 
time,  as  if  expecting  him  to  retire  without  this  request. 

"  My  beloved  uncle,  it  is  I — ^Thomas,  your  own  brother's 
son — your  next  of  kin — waiting  anxiously  by  your  respected 
bedside.  Do  not — do  not — confound  me  with  strangers. 
Such  a  forgetfulness  would  break  my  heart!" 

"  Forgive  me,  nephew — but  I  wish — alone  with  these  gen- 
tle— head—  getting — confused " 

*'  You  see  how  it  is,  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes — you  see  how  it 
is,  Mr.  Rotherham.  Ah!  there  goes  the  coach  that  is  to 
take  Admiral  Bluewater  to  his  boat.  My  uncle  wished  for 
three  witnesses  to  something,  and  I  can  remain  as  one  of 
the  three." 

^^  Is  it  your  pleasure.  Sir  Wycherly,  to  wish  to  see  us 
alone?"  asked  Sir  Gervaise  in  a  manner  that  showed  au- 
thority would  be  exercised  to  enforce  his  request,  should  the 
uncle  still  desire  the  absence  of  his  nephew. 

A  sign  from  the  sick  man  indicated  the  affirmative,  and 
that  in  a  manner  too  decided  to  admit  of  mistake. 

"  You  perceive,  Mr.  Wychecombe,  what  are  your  uncle's 
wishes,"  obser^^ed  Sir  Gervaise,  very  much  in  the  way  that 
a  well-bred  superior  intimates  to  an  inferior  the  compliance 
he  expects;  "  I  trust  his  desire  will  not  be  disregarded  at  a 
moment  like  this." 

"I  am  Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe's  next  of  kin,"  said 
Tom  in  a  lightly  bullying  tone;  "  and  no  one  has  the  same 
right  as  a  relative,  and,  I  may  say,  his  heir,  to  be  at  his  bed- 
side." 

"That  depends  on  the  pleasure  of  Sir  Wycherly  Wyche- 
combe himself,  sir.  He  is  master  here;  and,  having  done 
me  the  honor  to  invite  me  under  his  roof  as  a  guest,  and, 
now  having  requested  to  see  me  alone,  with  others  he  has 
expressly  named — one  of  whom  you  are  not — I  shall  con- 
ceive it  my  duty  to  see  his  wishes  obeyed." 

This  was  said  in  the  firm,  quiet  way  that  the  habit  of 
command  had  imparted  to  Sir  Gervaise's  manner  j  and  Tom 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  I55 

began  to  see  it  might  be  dangerous  to  resist.  It  was  im- 
portant, too,  that  one  of  the  vice-admiral's  character  and 
station  should  have  naught  to  say  against  him  in  the  event 
of  any  future  controversy ;  and,  making  a  few  professions  of 
respect,  and  of  his  desire  to  please  his  uncle,  Tom  quitted 
the  room. 

A  gleam  of  satisfaction  shot  over  the  sick  man's  counte- 
nance as  his  nephew  disappeared;  and  then  his  eye  turned 
slowly  toward  the  faces  of  those  who  remained. 

"  Bluewater,"  he  said,  the  thickness  of  his  speech  and  the 
general  difficulty  of  utterance  seeming  to  increase ;  "  the 
rear-admiral — I  want  all — respectable — witnesses  in  the 
house." 

"  My  friend  has  left  us,  I  understand,"  returned  Sir  Ger- 
vaise,  "  insisting  on  his  habit  of  never  sleeping  out  of  his 
ship;  but  Atwood  must  soon  be  back;  I  hope  he  will 
answer!" 

A  sign  of  assent  was  given ;  and  then  there  was  the  pause 
of  a  minute  or  two  ere  the  secretary  made  his  appearance. 
As  soon,  however,  as  he  had  returned,  the  three  collected 
around  the  baronet's  bed,  not  without  some  of  the  weakness 
which  men  are  supposed  to  have  inherited  from  their  com- 
mon mother  Eve,  in  connection  with  the  motive  for  this 
singular  proceeding  of  the  baronet. 

"  Sir  Gervaise — Rotherham — Mr.  Atwood,"  slowly  re- 
peated the  patient,  his  eye  passing  from  the  face  of  one  to 
that  of  another,  as  he  uttered  the  name  of  each;  "three 
witnesses — that  will  do — Thomas  said — must  have  three — 
three  good  names." 

"What  can  we  do  to  serve  you,  Sir  Wycherly?"  inquired 
the  admiral  with  real  interest,  "  You  have  only  to  name 
your  requests  to  have  them  faithfully  attended  to." 

"Old  Sir  Michael  Wychecombe,  Kt. — two  wives — Mar- 
gery and  Joan.  Two  wives — two  sons — half-blood — Thom- 
as, James,  Charles,  and  Gregory,  whole — Sir  Reginald 
Wychecombe,  half.     Understand — hope — gentlemen?" 


156  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"  This  is  not  being  very  clear,  certainly,"  whispered  Sir 
Gervaise ;  "  but,  perhaps  by  getting  hold  of  the  other  end 
of  the  rope,  we  may  underrun  it,  as  we  sailors  say,  and  come 
at  the  meaning — we  will  let  the  poor  man  proceed  therefore. 
Quite  plain,  my  dear  sir,  and  what  have  you  next  to  tell  us? 
You  left  off,  without  saying  only  /i a// about  Sir  Reginald." 

"  Half-blood ;  only  /la//— Tom  and  the  rest  whole.  Sir 
Reginald,  no  nullius — young  Tom,  a  mdlius.'' 

"A  nullius,  Mr.  Rotherham!  You  understand  Latin,  sir; 
what  can  a  nullius  mean  ?  No  such  rope  in  the  ship,  hey, 
Atwood?" 

''Nullius  or  nulttus,  as  it  ought  sometimes  to  be  pro- 
nounced, is  the  genitive  case,  singular,  of  the  pronoun  nul- 
lus ;  ftullus,  nulla,  nullum;  which  means  'no  man,'  'no  wo- 
man,' 'no  thing.'  Nullius  means  'of  no  man,'  'of  no  woman,' 
'of  no  thing.' " 

The  vicar  gave  this  explanation  much  in  the  way  a  peda- 
gogue would  have  explained  the  matter  to  a  class. 

"  Ay-ay — any  school-boy  could  have  told  that,  which  is 
the  first  form  learning.  But  what  the  devil  can  'Nom.  7iul- 
lus,  7iulla,  nullum;  Gen.  nullius,  7iullius,  nullius^  have  to  do 
with  Mr.  Thomas  Wychecombe,  the  nephew  and  heir  of  the 
present  baronet?" 

"That  is  more  than  I  can  inform  you.  Sir  Gervaise,"  an- 
swered the  vicar  stiffly;  "but  for  the  Latin  I  will  take  upon 
myself  to  answer  that  it  is  good." 

Sir  Gervaise  was  too  well-bred  to  laugh,  but  he  found  it 
difficult  to  suppress  a  smile. 

"Well,  Sir  Wycherly,"  resumed  the  vice-admiral,  "this 
is  quite  plain — Sir  Reginald  is  only  half,  while  your  nephew 
Tom  and  the  rest  are  whole — Margery  and  Joan,  and  all  that. 
Anything  more  to  tell  us,  my  dear  sir?" 

"Tom  not  whole — fiullus,  I  wish  to  say.  Sir  Reginald 
half — no  melius. ^^ 

"This  is  like  being  at  sea  a  week  without  getting  a  sight 
of  the  sun!     I  am  all  adrift  now,  gentlemen." 


THE  TWO   ADMIRALS.  1 57 

"  Sir  Wycherly  does  not  attend  to  his  cases,"  put  in  At- 
wood  drily.  "  At  one  time  he  is  in  the  genitive^  and  then 
he  gets  back  to  the  nominative ;  which  is  leaving  us  in  the 
vocative  r 

"  Come — come — Atwood,  none  of  your  gun-room  wit  on 
an  occasion  so  solemn  as  this.  My  dear  Sir  Wycherly,  have 
you  anything  more  to  tell  us?  I  believe  we  perfectly  under- 
stand you  now.  Tom  is  not  tvhole — you  wish  to  say  nidlus^ 
and  not  to  say  nuUiics.  Sir  Reginald  is  only  half^  but  he  is 
no  milliis.'''' 

"  Yes,  sir — that  is  it,"  returned  the  old  man,  smiling. 
JF/a/f,  but  no  nullus.  Change  my  mind — seen  too  much  of 
the  other  lately — Tom,  my  nephew — want  to  make  him  my 
heir." 

"  This  is  getting  clearer,  out  of  all  question.  You  wish 
to  make  your  nephew,  Tom,  your  heir.  But  the  law  does 
that  already,  does  it  not,  my  dear  sir?  Mr.  Baron  Wyche- 
combe  was  the  next  brother  of  the  baronet;  was  he  not,  Mr. 
Rotherham?" 

"So  I  have  always  understood,  sir;  and  Mr.  Thomas 
Wychecombe  must  be  the  heir  at  law." 

"  No — no — nidlus — nulbcs^^  repeated  Sir  Wycherly,  with 
so  much  eagerness  as  to  make  his  voice  nearly  indistinct; 
"  Sir  Reginald — Sir  Reginald — Sir  Reginald." 

"And  pray,  Mr.  Rotherham,  who  may  this  Sir  Reginald 
be?     Some  old  baronet  of  the  family,  I  presume." 

"Not  at  all,  sir;  it  is  Sir  Reginald  Wychecombe  of 
Wychecombe-Regis,  Herts ;  a  baronet  of  Queen  Anne's  time, 
and  a  descendant  from  a  cadet  of  this  family,  I  am  told." 

"This  is  getting  on  soundings — I  had  taken  it  into  my 
head  this  Sir  Reginald  was  some  old  fellow  of  the  reign  of 
one  of  the  Plantagenets.  Well,  Sir  Wycherly,  do  you  wish 
us  to  send  an  express  into  Hertfordshire,  in  quest  of  Sir 
Reginald  Wychecombe,  who  is  quite  likely  your  executor? 
Do  not  give  yourself  the  pain  to  speak;   a  sign  will  answer." 

Sir  Wycherly  seemed  struck  with  the  suggestion,  which 


158  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

the  reader  will  readily  understand  was  far  from  being  his 
real  meaning;  and  then  he  smiled,  and  nodded  his  head  in 
approbation. 

Sir  Gervaise,  with  the  promptitude  of  a  man  of  business, 
turned  to  the  table  where  the  vicar  had  written  notes  to  the 
medical  men,  and  dictated  a  short  letter  to  his  secretary. 
This  letter  he  signed,  and  in  five  minutes  Atwood  left  the 
room  to  order  it  to  be  immediately  forwarded  by  express. 
When  this  was  done  the  admiral  rubbed  his  hands  in  satis- 
faction, like  a  man  who  felt  he  had  got  himself  cleverly  out 
of  a  knotty  difficulty. 

"  I  don't  see,  after  all,  Mr.  Rotherham,"  he  observed  to 
the  vicar,  as  they  stood  together  in  a  corner  of  the  room, 
waiting  the  return  of  the  secretary;  "what  he  lugged  in 
that  schoolboy  Latin  for — nulliis,  millay  nullum!  Can  you 
possibly  explain  thatV^ 

•'  Not  unless  it  was  Sir  Wycherly's  desire  to  say  that  Sir 
Reginald,  being  descended  from  a  younger  son,  was  nobody 
— as  yet,  had  no  woman— and  I  believe  he  is  not  married — 
and  was  poor,  or  had  'no  ihing.^ " 

"  And  is  Sir  Wycherly  such  a  desperate  scholar  that  he 
would  express  himself  in  this  hieroglyphical  manner  on 
what  I  fear  will  prove  to  be  his  death-bed?" 

"Why,  Sir  Gervaise,  Sir  Wycherly  was  educated  like  all 
other  young  gentlemen,  but  has  forgotten  most  of  his  clas. 
sics  in  the  course  of  a  long  life  of  ease  and  affluence.  Is  it 
not"  probable  now  that  his  recollection  has  returned  to  him 
suddenly,  in  consequence  of  this  affection  of  the  head?  I 
think  I  have  read  of  some  curious  instances  of  these  reviv- 
ing memories,  on  a  death-bed  or  after  a  fit  of  sickness." 

"  Ay,  that  you  may  have  done!"  exclaimed  Sir  Gervaise, 
smiling;  "and  poor,  good  Sir  Wycherly  must  have  begun 
afresh,  at  the  very  place  where  he  left  off.  But  here  is 
Atwood  again." 

After  a  short  consultation  the  three  chosen  witnesses 
returned  to  the  bedside,  the  admiral  being  spokesman. 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  1 59 

"The  express  will  be  off  in  ten  minutes,  Sir  Wycherly," 
he  said ;  "  and  you  may  hope  to  see  your  relative  in  the 
course  of  the  next  two  or  three  days." 

"  Too  late — too  late,"  murmured  the  patient,  who  had  an 
inward  consciousness  of  his  true  situation;  "too  late — turn 
the  will  round — Sir  Reginald,  Tom; — Tom,  Sir  Reginald. 
Turn  the  will  round." 

"Turn  the  will  round! — this  is  very  explicit,  gentlemen, 
to  those  who  can  understand  it.  Sir  Reginald,  Tom ; — Tom, 
Sir  Reginald.  At  all  events  it  is  clear  that  his  mind  is 
dwelling  on  the  disposition  of  his  property,  since  he  speaks 
of  wills.  Atwood,  make  a  note  of  these  words,  that  there 
need  be  no  mistake.  I  wonder  he  has  said  nothing  of  our 
brave  young  lieutenant,  his  namesake.  There  can  be  no 
harm,  Mr.  Rotherham,  in  just  mentioning  that  fine  fellow 
to  him,  in  a  moment  like  this?" 

"  I  see  none,  sir.  It  is  our  duty  to  remind  the  sick  of 
their  duties." 

"  Do  you  not  wish  to  see  your  young  namesake,  Lieuten- 
ant ^jr-^<fr/j^  Wychecombe,  Sir  Wycherly?"  asked  the  ad- 
miral ;  sufficiently  emphasizing  the  Christian  name.  "  He 
must  be  in  the  house,  and  I  dare  say  would  be  happy  to 
obey  your  wishes." 

"  I  hope  he  is  well,  sir — fine  young  gentleman — honor  to 
the  name,  sir." 

"Quite  true,  Sir  Wycherly;  and  an  honor  to  the  nation^ 
too." 

"  Didn't  know  Virginia  was  a  nation — so  much  the  better 
— fine  young  Virgi?iian,  sir." 

"  Of  your  fa7nily,  no  doubt,  Sir  Wycherly,  as  well  as  of 
your  name,"  added  the  admiral,  who  secretly  suspected  the 
young  sailor  of  being  a  son  of  the  baronet,  nowithstanding 
all  he  had  heard  to  the  contrary.  "An  exceedingly  fine 
young  man,  and  an  honor  to  any  house  in  England!" 

"I  suppose  they  hai'e  houses  in  Virginia — bad  climate; 
houses   necessary.     No    relative,   sir; — probably   a    nullus. 


l60  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

Many  Wychecombes,  nuUuses.  Tom,  a  nullus — this  young 
gentleman,  a  ?iullus — Wychecombes  of  Surrey,  all  nulluses 
— Sir  Reginald  no  nullus;  but  a  half — Thomas,  James, 
Charles,  and  Gregory,  all  whole.  My  brother,  Baron 
Wychecombe,  told  me — before  died." 

"  Whole  what^  Sir  Wycherly?"  asked  the  admiral,  a  little 
vexed  at  the  obscurity  of  the  other's  language. 

"  Blood — whole  bloody  sir.  Capital  law,  Sir  Gervaise ;  had 
it  from  the  baron — first  hand." 

Now,  one  of  the  peculiarities  of  England  is,  that  in  the 
division  of  labor  few  know  anything  material  about  the  law, 
except  the  professional  men.  Even  their  knowledge  is 
divided  and  subdivided  in  a  way  that  makes  a  very  fair 
division  of  profit.  Thus  the  conveyancer  is  not  a  barrister; 
the  barrister  is  not  an  attorney;  and  the  chancery  prac- 
titioner would  be  an  unsafe  adviser  for  one  of  the  purely 
law  courts.  That  particular  provision  of  the  common  law 
which  Baron  Wychecombe  had  mentioned  to  his  brother,  as 
the  rule  of  the  half-bloody  has  been  set  aside  or  modified  by 
statute  within  the  last  ten  years;  but  few  English  laymen 
would  be  at  all  likely  to  know  of  such  a  law  of  descent  even 
when  it  existed;  for,  while  it  did  violence  to  every  natural 
sentiment  of  right,  it  lay  hidden  in  the  secrets  of  the  profes- 
sion. Were  a  case  stated  to  a  thousand  intelligent  English- 
men, who  had  not  read  law,  in  which  it  was  laid  down  that 
brothers  by  different  mothers,  though  equally  sons  of  the 
founder  of  the  estate,  could  not  take  from  each  other,  unless 
by  devise  or  entail,  the  probability  is  that  quite  nine  in  ten 
would  deny  the  existence  of  any  rule  so  absurd;  and,  this, 
too,  under  the  influence  of  feelings  that  were  creditable  to 
their  sense  of  natural  justice.  Nevertheless,  such  was  one 
of  the  important  provisions  of  the  "  perfection  of  reason," 
until  the  recent  reforms  in  English  law;  and  it  has  struck 
us  as  surprising  that  an  ingenious  writer  of  fiction,  who  has 
recently  charmed  his  readers  with  a  tale  the  interest  of 
which  turns  principally  on  the  vicissitudes  of  practice,  did 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  l6l 

hot  bethink  him  of  this  peculiar  feature  of  his  country's 
laws;  inasmuch  as  it  would  have  supplied  mystery  sufficient 
for  a  dozen  ordinary  romances,  and  improbabilities  enough 
for  a  hundred.  That  Sir  Gervaise  and  his  companions 
should  be  ignorant  of  the  "  law  of  the  half-blood,"  is  con- 
sequently very  much  a  matter  of  course;  and  no  one 
ought  to  be  surprised  that  the  worthy  baronet's  repeated 
allusions  to  the  "whole"  and  the  "half"  were  absolutely 
enigmas,  which  neither  had  the  knowledge  necessary  to 
explain. 

"  What  can  the  poor  fellow  mean  ?"  demanded  the  admiral, 
more  concerned  than  he  remembered  ever  before  to  have 
been  on  any  similar  occasion.  "  One  could  wish  to  serve 
him  as  much  as  possible,  but  all  this  about  ''iiulliis,^  and 
Svhole  blood'  and  'half,'  is  so  much  gibberish  to  me — can 
you  make  anything  of  it, — hey!  Atwood.-*" 

"  Upon  my  word.  Sir  Gervaise,  it  seems  a  matter  for  a 
judge  rather  than  for  man-of-war's  men  like  ourselves." 

"  It  certainly  can  have  no  connection  with  this  rising  of 
the  Jacobites?  That  is  an  affair  likely  to  trouble  a  loyal 
subject  in  his  last  moments,  Mr.  Rotherham!" 

"  Sir  Wycherly's  habits  and  age  forbid  the  idea  that  he 
knows  more  of  that^  sir,  than  is  known  to  us  all.  His  re- 
quest, however,  to  'turn  the  will  round,'  I  conceive  to  be 
altogether  explicit.  Several  capital  treatises  have  appeared 
lately  on  the  'human  will,'  and  I  regret  to  say,  my  honored 
friend  and  patron  has  not  always  been  quite  as  orthodox  on 
that  point  as  I  could  wish.  I  therefore  consider  his  words 
as  evidence  of  a  hearty  repentance." 

Sir  Gervaise  looked  about  him,  as  was  his  habit  when  any 
droll  idea  crossed  his  mind;  but,  again  suppressing  the  in- 
clination to  smile,  he  answered  with  suitable  gravity: 

"I  understand  you,  sir;    you  think  all  these  inexplicable 

terms  are  connected  with  Sir  Wycherly's  religious  feelings. 

You  may  certainly  be  right,  for  it  exceeds  my  knowledge  to 

connect  them  with  anything  else.     I  wish,  notwithstanding, 

1 1 


l62  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

he  had  not  disowned  this  noble  young  lieutenant  of  ours! 
Is  it  quite  certain  the  young  man  is  a  Virginian?" 

"  So  I  have  always  understood  it,  sir.  He  has  never  been 
known  in  this  part  of  England  until  he  was  landed  from  a 
frigate  in  the  roads,  to  be  cured  of  a  serious  wound.  I 
think  none  of  Sir  Wycherly's  allusions  have  the  least  refer- 
ence to  him.'''' 

Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  now  joined  his  hands  behind  his 
back,  and  walked  several  times,  quarter-deck  fashion,  to 
and  fro,  in  the  room.  At  each  turn  his  eyes  glanced  towards 
the  bed,  and  he  ever  found  the  gaze  of  the  sick  man  anx- 
iously fastened  on  himself.  This  satisfied  him  that  religion 
had  nothing  to  do  with  his  host's  manifest  desire  to  make 
himself  understood;  and  his  own  trouble  was  greatly  in- 
creased. It  seemed  to  him  as  if  the  dying  man  was  making 
incessant  appeals  to  his  aid,  without  its  being  in  his  power 
to  afford  it.  It  was  not  possible  for  a  generous  man  like 
Sir  Gervaise  to  submit  to  such  a  feeling  without  an  effort; 
and  he  soon  went  to  the  side  of  the  bed  again,  determined 
to  bring  the  affair  to  some  intelligible  issue. 

"  Do  you  think,  Sir  Wycherly,  you  could  write  a  few  lines, 
if  we  put  pen,  ink,  and  paper  before  you?"  he  asked,  as  a 
sort  of  desperate  remedy. 

"  Impossible — can  hardly  see ;  have  got  no  strength — stop 
— will  try — if  you  please." 

Sir  Gervaise  was  delighted  with  this,  and  he  immediately 
directed  his  companions  to  lend  their  assistance.  Atwood 
and  the  vicar  bolstered  the  old  man  up,  and  the  admiral  put 
the  writing  materials  before  him,  substituting  a  large  quarto 
bible  for  a  desk.  Sir  Wycherly,  after  several  abortive  at- 
tempts, finally  got  the  pen  in  his  hand,  and  with  great  diffi- 
culty traced  six  or  seven  nearly  illegible  words,  running  the 
line  diagonally  across  the  paper.  By  this  time  his  powers 
failed  him  altogether,  and  he  sunk  back,  dropping  the  pen, 
and  closing  his  eyes  in  a  partial  insensibility.  At  this 
critical  instant  the  surgeon  entered,  and  at  once  put  an  end 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  IO3 

to  the  interview  by  taking  charge  of  the  patient,  and  direct- 
ing all  but  one  or  two  necessary  attendants  to  quit  the  room. 

The  three  chosen  witnesses  of  what  had  just  past  repaired 
together  to  a  parlor;  Atwood,  by  a  sort  of  mechanical  habit, 
taking  with  him  the  paper  on  which  the  baronet  had  scrawled 
the  words  just  mentioned.  This  by  a  sort  of  mechanical  use 
also  he  put  into  the  hands  of  Sir  Gervaise,  as  soon  as  they 
entered  the  room;  much  as  he  would  have  laid  before  his 
superior  an  order  to  sign  or  a  copy  of  a  letter  to  the  secre- 
tary of  the  Navy  Board. 

"This  is  as  bad  as  the  ^nullus/^ "  exclaimed  Sir  Gervaise, 
after  endeavoring  to  decipher  the  scrawl  in  vain.  "  What 
is  this  first  word,  Mr.  Rotherham — 'Irish,'  is  it  not — hey! 
Atwood?" 

"I  believe  it  is  no  more  than  'I-n,'  stretched  over  much 
more  paper  than  is  necessary." 

"  You  are  right  enough,  vicar ;  and  the  next  word  is  *the,' 
though  it  looks  like  a  chevaux  de  frise — what  follows?  It 
looks  like  'man-of-war,'  Atwood?" 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  Sir  Gervaise;  this  first  letter  is  what 
I  should  call  an  elongated  n — the  next  is  certainly  an  a — 
the  third  looks  like  the  waves  of  a  river — ah!  it  is  an  m — • 
and  the  last  is  an  e — n-a-m-e — that  makes  'name,'  gentle- 
men." 

"  Yes,"  eagerly  added  the  vicar,  "  and  the  two  next  words 
are  'of  God.'" 

"Then  it  is  religion  after  all  that  was  on  the  poor  man's 
mind!"  exclaimed  Sir  Gervaise,  in  a  slight  degree  dis- 
appointed, if  the  truth  must  be  told.  "  What's  this  A-m-e-n 
— 'Amen' — why  it's  a  sort  of  prayer." 

"This  is  the  form  in  which  it  is  usual  to  commence  wills, 
I  believe,  Sir  Gervaise,"  observed  the  secretary,  who  had 
written  many  a  one  on  board  ship  in  his  day.  "  In  the 
name  of  God,  Amen.'" 

"  By  George,  you're  right,  Atwood ;  and  the  poor  man  was 
trying  all  the  while  to  let  us  know  how  he  wished  to  dispose 


164  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

of  his  property!  What  could  he  mean  by  the  nullus — it  is 
not  possible  that  the  old  gentleman  has  nothing  to  leave?" 

"I'll  answer  for  it,  Sir  Gervaise,  that  is  not  the  true  ex- 
planation," the  vicar  replied.  "  Sir  Wycherly's  affairs  are 
in  the  best  order;  and  besides  the  estate  he  has  a  large  sum 
in  the  funds." 

"Well,  gentlemen,  we  can  do  no  more  to-night.  A  medi- 
cal man  is  already  in  the  house,  and  Bluewater  will  send 
ashore  one  or  two  others  from  the  fleet.  In  the  morning,  if 
Sir  Wycherly  is  in  a  state  to  converse,  this  matter  shall  be 
attended  to." 

The  party  now  separated;  a  bed  being  provided  for  the 
vicar,  and  the  admiral  and  his  secretary  retiring  to  their 
respective  rooms. 


CHAPTER   X. 


"  Bid  physicians  talk  our  brains  to  temper 
And  with  an  argument  new-set  a  pulse  ; 
Then  think,  my  lord,  of  reasoning  into  love." 

Young. 

While  the  scene  just  related  took  place  in  the  chamber 
of  the  sick  man,  Admiral  Bluewater,  Mrs.  Button,  and  Mil- 
dred left  the  house  in  the  old  family  coach.  The  rear- 
admiral  had  pertinaciously  determined  to  adhere  to  his 
practice  of  sleeping  in  his  ship;  and  the  manner  in  which 
he  had  offered  seats  to  his  two  fair  companions — for  Mrs. 
Button  still  deserved  to  be  thus  termed — has  already  been 
seen.  The  motive  was  simply  to  remove  them  from  any 
further  brutal  exhibitions  of  Button's  cupidity,  while  he 
continued  in  his  present  humor;  and,  thus  influenced,  it  is 
not  probable  that  the  gallant  old  sailor  would  be  likely  to 
dwell  more  than  was  absolutely  necessary  on  the  unpleasant 
scene  of  which  he  had  been  a  witness.  In  fact  no  allusion 
was  made  to  it  during  the  quarter  of  an  hour  the  party  was 
driving  from  the  Hall  to  the  station-house.     They  all  spoke 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  10^ 

with  regret — Mildred  with  affectionate  tenderness  even — of 
poor  Sir  Wycherly;  and  several  anecdotes,  indicative  of  his 
goodness  of  heart,  were  eagerly  related  to  Bluewater  by  the 
two  females,  as  the  carriage  moved  heavily  along.  In  the 
time  mentioned  the  vehicle  drew  up  before  the  door  of  the 
cottage  and  all  three  alighted. 

If  the  morning  of  that  day  had  been  veiled  in  mist,  the 
sun  had  set  in  as  cloudless  a  sky  as  is  often  arched  above 
the  island  of  Great  Britain.  The  night  was  what  in  that 
region  is  termed  a  clear  moonlight.  It  was  certainly  not 
the  mimic  day  that  is  so  often  enjoyed  in  purer  atmospheres, 
but  the  panorama  of  the  headland  was  clothed  in  a  soft, 
magical  sort  of  semi-distinctness  that  rendered  objects  suffi- 
ciently obvious  and  exceedingly  beautiful.  The  rounded, 
shorn  swells  of  the  land  hove  upward  to  the  eye,  verdant 
and  smooth;  while  the  fine  oaks  of  the  park  formed  a 
shadowy  background  to  the  picture  inland.  Seaward  the 
ocean  was  glittering  like  a  reversed  plane  of  the  firmament, 
far  as  eye  could  reach.  If  our  own  hemisphere,  or  rather 
this  latitude,  may  boast  of  purer  skies  than  are  enjoyed  by 
the  mother  country,  the  latter  has  a  vast  superiority  in  the 
tint  of  the  water.  While  the  whole  American  coast  is 
bounded  by  a  dull-looking  sheet  of  sea-green,  the  deep  blue 
of  the  wide  ocean  appears  to  be  carried  close  home  to  the 
shores  of  Europe.  This  glorious  tint,  from  which  the  term 
of  "  ultramarine"  has  been  derived,  is  most  remarkable  in 
the  Mediterranean,  that  sea  of  delights;  but  it  is  met  with 
all  along  the  rock-bound  coasts  of  the  Peninsula  of  Spain 
and  Portugal,  extending  through  the  British  Channel,  until 
it  is  in  a  measure  lost  on  the  shoals  of  the  North  Sea ;  to  be 
revived,  however,  in  the  profound  depths  of  the  ocean  that 
laves  the  wild  romantic  coast  of  Norway. 

"'Tis  a  glorious  night!"  exclaimed  Bluewater,  as  he 
handed  Mildred  the  last  from  the  carriage;  "and  one  can 
hardly  wish  to  enter  a  cot,  let  it  swing  ever  so  lazily." 

"  Sleep  is  out  of  the  question"  returned  Mildred  sorrow* 


1 66  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

fully.  "  These  are  nights  in  which  even  the  weary  are  re- 
luctant to  lose  their  consciousness;  but  who  can  sleep  while 
there  is  this  uncertainty  about  dear  Sir  Wycherly." 

"  I  rejoice  to  hear  you  say  this,  Mildred," — for  so  the  ad- 
miral had  unconsciously  and  unrepelled  begun  to  call  his 
sweet  companion — "  I  rejoice  to  hear  you  say  this,  for  I  am 
an  inveterate  star-gazer  and  moon-ite;  and  I  shall  hope  to 
persuade  you  and  Mrs.  Button  to  waste  yet  another  hour 
with  me  in  walking  on  this  height.  Ah!  yonder  is  Sam 
Yoke,  my  coxswain,  waiting  to  report  the  barge;  I  can  send 
Sir  Gervaise's  message  to  the  surgeons  by  deputy,  and  there 
will  be  no  occasion  for  my  hastening  from  this  lovely  spot 
and  pleasant  company." 

The  orders  were  soon  given  to  the  coxswain.  A  dozen 
boats,  it  would  seem,  were  in  waiting  for  officers  ashore,  not- 
withstanding the  lateness  of  the  hour;  and  directions  were 
sent  for  two  of  them  to  pull  off  and  obtain  the  medical  men. 
The  coach  was  sent  round  to  receive  the  latter,  and  then  all 
was  tranquil  again  on  the  height.  Mrs.  Button  entered  the 
house  to  attend  to  some  of  her  domestic  concerns,  while  the 
rear-admiral  took  the  arm  of  Mildred  and  they  walked  to- 
gether to  the  verge  of  the  cliffs. 

A  fairer  moonlight  picture  seldom  offered  itself  to  a  sea- 
man's eye  than  that  which  now  lay  before  the  sight  of  Ad- 
miral Bluewater  and  Mildred.  Beneath  them  rode  the  fleet; 
sixteen  sail  of  different  rigs,  eleven  of  which,  however,  were 
two-decked  ships  of  the  largest  size  then  known  in  naval 
warfare ;  and  all  of  which  were  in  that  perfect  order  that  an 
active  and  intelligent  commander  knows  how  to  procure, 
even  from  the  dilatory  and  indifferent.  If  Admiral  Blue- 
water  was  conspicuous  in  manoeuvring  a  fleet  and  in  render- 
ing every  vessel  of  a  line  that  extended  a  league  efficient, 
and  that  too  in  her  right  place,  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  had  the 
reputation  of  being  one  of  the  best  seamen,  in  the  ordinary 
sense  of  the  word,  in  England.  No  vessel  under  his  com- 
mand ever  had  a  lubberly  look;    and  no  ship  that  had  any 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  1 6/ 

sailing  in  her  failed  to  have  it  brought  out  of  her.  The 
vice-admiral  was  familiar  with  that  all-important  fact — one 
that  members  equally  of  Congress  and  of  Parliament  are  so 
apt  to  forget,  or  rather  not  to  know  at  all — that  the  efficiency 
of  a  whole  fleet  as  a  fleet  is  necessarily  brought  down  to  the 
level  of  its  worst  ships.  Of  little  avail  is  it  that  four  or  five 
vessels  of  a  squadron  sail  fast  and  work  well,  if  the  eight  or 
ten  that  remain  behave  badly  and  are  dull.  A  separation 
of  the  vessels  is  the  inevitable  consequence,  when  the  prop- 
erties of  all  are  thoroughly  tried ;  and  the  division  of  a  force 
is  the  first  step  toward  its  defeat;  as  its  proper  concentra- 
tion is  a  leading  condition  of  victory.  As  the  poorer  ves- 
sels cannot  imitate  the  better,  the  good  are  compelled  to 
regulate  their  movements  by  the  bad ;  which  is  at  once  es- 
sentially bringing  down  the  best  ships  of  a  fleet  to  the  level 
of  its  worst;  the  proposition  with  which  we  commenced. 

Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  was  so  great  a  favorite  that  all  he 
asked  was  usually  conceded  to  him.  One  of  his  conditions 
was  that  his  vessels  should  sail  equally  well.  "  If  you  give 
me  fast  ships,"  he  said,  "  I  can  overtake  the  enemy ;  if  dull, 
the  enemy  can  overtake  me ;  and  I  leave  you  to  say  which 
coiTse  will  be  most  likely  to  bring  on  an  action.  At  any 
rate  give  me  consorts ;  not  one  flyer  and  one  drag;  but  ves- 
sels that  can  keep  within  hail  of  each  other  without  anchor- 
ing." The  Admiralty  professed  every  desire  to  oblige  the 
gallant  commander;  and  as  he  was  resolved  never  to  quit 
the  Plantagenet  until  she  was  worn  out,  it  was  indispensably 
necessary  to  And  as  many  fast  vessels  as  possible  to  keep 
her  company.  The  result  was  literally  a  fleet  of  ''  horses," 
as  Galleygo  used  to  call  it;  and  it  was  generally  said  in  the 
service  that  "  Oakes  had  a  squadron  of  flyers,  if  not  a  flying 
squadron." 

Vessels  like  these  just  mentioned  are  usually  symmetrical, 
and  graceful  to  the  eye  as  well  as  fast.  This  fact  was  ap- 
parent to  Mildred,  accustomed  as  she  was  to  the  sight  of 
ships;    and  she  ventured  to  express  as  much  after  she  and 


l68  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

her  companion  had  stood  quite  a  minute  on  the  cliff,  gazing 
at  the  grand  spectacle  beneath  them. 

"  Your  vessels  look  even  handsomer  than  common,  Ad- 
miral Bluewater,"  she  said,  "  though  a  ship  to  me  is  always 
an  attractive  sight." 

"This  is  because  they  afe  handsomer  than  common,  my 
pretty  critic.  Vice-Admiral  Oakes  is  an  officer  who  will  no 
more  tolerate  an  ugly  ship  in  his  fleet  than  a  peer  of  the 
realm  will  marry  any  woman  but  one  who  is  handsome; 
unless  indeed  she  happen  to  be  surpassingly  rich." 

"  I  have  heard  that  men  are  accustomed  to  lose  their 
hearts  under  such  an  influence,"  said  Mildred,  laughing; 
"  but  I  did  not  know  before  that  they  were  ever  frank  enough 
to  avow  it!" 

"  The  knowledge  has  been  imparted  by  a  prudent  mother, 
I  suppose,"  returned  the  rear-admiral,  in  a  musing  manner; 
"  I  wish  I  stood  sufficiently  in  the  parental  relation  to  you, 
my  young  friend,  to  venture  to  give  a  little  advice  also. 
Never  before  did  I  feel  so  strong  a  wish  to  warn  a  human 
being  of  a  great  danger  that  I  fear  is  impending  over  her, 
could  I  presume  to  take  the  liberty." 

"  It  is  not  a  liberty  but  a  duty,  to  warn  any  one  of  a  dan- 
ger that  is  known  to  ourselves,  and  not  to  the  person  who 
incurs  the  risk.  At  least,  so  it  appears  to  the  eyes  of  a  very 
young  girl." 

"Yes,  if  the  danger  was  of  falling  from  these  cliffs,  or  of 
setting  fire  to  a  house,  or  of  any  other  visible  calamity.  The 
case  is  different  when  young  ladies  and  setting  fire  to  the 
heart  are  concerned." 

"  Certainly  I  can  perceive  the  distinction,"  answered  Mil- 
dred, after  a  short  pause ;  "  and  can  understand  that  the  same 
person  who  would  not  scruple  to  give  the  alarm  against  any 
physical  danger  would  hesitate  even  at  hinting  at  one  of  a 
moral  character.  Nevertheless,  if  Admiral  Bluewater  thinks 
a  simple  girl  like  me  of  sufficient  importance  to  take  the 
trouble  to  interest  himself  in  her  welfare,  I  should  hope  he 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  1 69 

would  not  shrink  from  pointing  out  this  danger.  It  is  a 
terrible  word  to  sleep  on;  and  I  confess,  besides  a  little 
uneasiness,  to  a  good  deal  of  curiosity  to  know  more." 

"This  is  said,  Mildred,  because  you  are  unaccustomed  to 
the  shocks  which  the  tongue  of  rude  man  may  give  your 
sensitive  feelings." 

"Unaccustomed!"  said  Mildred,  trembling  so  that  the 
weakness  was  apparent  to  her  companion.  "  Unaccustomed ! 
Alas!  Admiral  Bluewater,  can  this  be  so,  after  what  you 
have  seen  and  heard!" 

"  Pardon  me,  dear  child :  nothing  was  farther  from  my 
thoughts  than  to  wish  to  revive  those  unpleasant  recollec- 
tions. If  I  thought  I  should  be  forgiven,  I  might  venture 
yet  to  reveal  my  secret ;  for  never  before — though  I  cannot 
tell  the  reason  of  so  sudden  and  so  extraordinary  an  interest 
in  one  who  is  almost  a  stranger " 

"No — no — not  a  stranger,  dear  sir.  After  all  that  has 
passed  to-day ;  after  you  have  been  admitted,  though  it  were 
by  accident,  to  one  most  sacred  secret; — after  all  that  was 
said  in  the  carriage  and  the  terrible  scenes  my  beloved 
mother  went  through  in  your  presence  so  many  years  since, 
you  can  never  be  a  stranger  to  tis^  whatever  may  be  your 
own  desire  to  fancy  yourself  one." 

"Girl,  you  do  not  fascinate — you  do  not  charm  me,  but 
you  bijid  me  to  you  in  a  way  I  did  not  think  it  in  the  power 
of  any  human  being  to  subjugate  my  feelings!" 

This  was  said  with  so  much  energy  that  Mildred  dropped 
the  arm  she  held,  and  actually  recoiled  a  step,  if  not  in 
alarm,  at  least  in  surprise.  But,  on  looking  up  into  the  face 
of  her  companion,  and  perceiving  large  tears  actually  glis- 
tening on  his  cheek,  and  seeing  the  hair  that  exposure  and 
mental  cares  had  whitened  more  than  time,  all  her  confi- 
dence returned,  and  she  resumed  the  place  she  had  aban- 
doned, of  her  own  accord,  and  as  naturally  as  a  daughter 
would  have  clung  to  the  side  of  a  father. 

"  I  am  sure,  sir,  my  gratitude  for  this  interest  ought  to  be 


170  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

quite  equal  to  the  honor  it  does  me,"  Mildred  said  earnestly. 
"And  now,  Admiral  Bluewater,  do  not  hesitate  to  speak 
to  me  with  the  frankness  that  a  parent  might  use.  I  will 
listen  with  the  respect  and  deference  of  a  daughter." 

"  Then  do  listen  to  what  I  have  to  say,  and  make  no  an- 
swer, if  you  find  yourself  wounded  at  the  freedom  I  am  tak- 
ing. It  would  seem  that  there  is  but  one  subject  on  which 
a  man,  old  fellow  or  young  fellow,  can  speak  to  a  lovely 
young  girl  when  he  gets  her  alone  under  the  light  of  a  fine 
moon; — and  that  is  love.  Nay,  start  not  again,  my  dear, 
for  if  I  am  about  to  speak  on  so  awkward  a  subject,  it  is  not 
in  my  own  behalf.  I  hardly  know  whether  you  will  think 
it  in  behalf  of  any  one ;  as  what  I  have  to  say  is  not  an  ap- 
peal to  your  affections  but  a  warning  against  bestowing 
them." 

"A  warning,  Admiral  Bluewater!  Do  you  really  think 
that  can  be  necessary?" 

"  Nay,  my  child,  that  is  best  known  to  yourself.  Of  one 
thing  I  am  certain ;  the  young  man  I  have  in  my  eye  affects 
to  admire  you,  whether  he  does  or  not;  and  when  young 
women  are  led  to  believe  they  are  loved,  it  is  a  strong  ap- 
peal to  all  their  generous  feelings  to  answer  the  passion,  if 
not  with  equal  warmth,  at  least  with  something  very  like  it." 

"Affects  to  admire,  sir! — And  why  should  any  one  be  at 
the  pains  of  affecti7ig  feelings  toward  me  that  they  do  not 
actually  entertain?  I  have  neither  rank  nor  money  to  bribe 
any  one  to  be  guilty  of  an  hypocrisy  so  mean,  and  which  in 
my  case  would  be  so  motiveless." 

"  Yes,  if  it  were  motiveless  to  win  the  most  beautiful  crea- 
ture in  England!  But,  no  matter.  We  will  not  stop  to  an- 
alyze motives,  when/^<r/j-  are  what  we  aim  at.  I  should  think 
there  must  be  some  passion  in  this  youth's  suit,  and  that  will 
only  make  it  so  much  the  more  dangerous  to  its  object.  At 
all  events  I  feel  a  deep  conviction  that  he  is  altogether  un- 
worthy of  you.  This  is  a  bold  expression  of  opinion,  on  an 
acquaintance  of  a  day ;  but  there  are  such  reasons  for  it  that 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  I/I 

a  man  of  my  time  of  life,  if  unprejudiced,  can  scarcely  be 
deceived." 

"All  this  is  very  singular,  sir,  and  I  had  almost  used 
your  own  word  of  'alarming,'  "  replied  Mildred,  slightly  agi- 
tated by  curiosity,  but  more  amused.  "  I  shall  be  as  frank 
as  yourself,  and  say  that  you  judge  the  gentleman  harshly. 
Mr.  Rotherham  may  not  have  all  the  qualities  that  a  clergy- 
man ought  to  possess,  but  he  is  far  from  being  a  bad  man. 
Good  or  bad,  however,  it  is  not  probable  that  he  will  carry 
his  transient  partiality  any  farther  than  he  has  gone  already." 

"  Mr.  Rotherham ! — I  have  neither  thought  nor  spoken  of 
the  pious  vicar  at  all!" 

Mildred  was  now  sadly  confused.  Mr.  Rotherham  had 
made  his  proposals  for  her  only  the  day  before,  and  he  had 
been  mildly  but  firmly  refused.  The  recent  occurrence  was 
naturally  uppermost  in  her  mind;  and  the  conjecture  that 
her  rejected  suitor,  under  the  influence  of  wine,  might  have 
communicated  the  state  of  his  wishes,  or  what  he  fancied  to 
be  the  state  of  his  wishes,  to  her  companion,  was  so  very 
easy  that  she  had  fallen  into  the  error  almost  without  re- 
flection. 

"  I  beg  pardon,  sir — I  really  imagined,"  the  confused  girl 
answered;  "but  it  was  a  natural  mistake  for  me  to  suppose 
you  meant  Mr.  Rotherham,  as  he  is  the  only  person  who  has 
ever  spoken  to  my  mother  on  the  subject  of  anything  like  a 
peference  for  me." 

"  I  should  have  less  fear  of  those  who  spoke  to  your 
mother,  Mildred,  than  of  those  who  spoke  only  to  you.  As 
I  hate  ambiguity,  however,  I  will  say  at  once  that  my  allu- 
sion was  to  Mr.  Wychecombe." 

"Mr.  Wychecombe,  Admiral  Bluewater!" — and  the  vet- 
eran felt  the  arm  that  leaned  on  him  tremble  violently,  a 
sad  confirmation  of  even  more  than  he  apprehended,  or  he 
would  not  have  been  so  abrupt.  "  Surely — surely — the 
warning  you  mean  cannot,  ought  not  to  apply  to  a  gentleman 
of  Mr.  Wychecombe's  standing  and  character!" 


172  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"  Such  is  the  world,  Miss  Button,  and  we  old  seamen  in 
particular  get  to  know  it,  whether  willingly  or  not.  My 
sudden  interest  in  you,  the  recollection  of  former  but  pain- 
ful scenes,  and  the  events  of  the  day  have  made  me  watch- 
ful, and  you  will  add  bold — but  I  am  resolved  to  speak, 
even  at  the  risk  of  disobliging  you  forever — and  in  speak- 
ing I  must  say  that  I  never  met  with  a  young  man  who  has 
made  so  unfavorable  an  impression  on  me  as  this  same  Mr. 
Wychecombe." 

Mildred,  unconsciously  to  herself,  withdrew  her  arm,  and 
she  felt  astonished  at  her  own  levity,  in  so  suddenly  becom- 
ing sufficiently  intimate  with  a  stranger  to  permit  him  thus 
to  disparage  a  confirmed  friend. 

"  I  am  sorry,  sir,  that  you  entertain  so  indifferent  an  opin- 
ion of  one  who  is,  I  believe,  a  general  favorite  in  this  part 
of  the  country,"  she  answered,  with  a  coldness  that  rendered 
her  manner  marked. 

"  I  perceive  I  shall  share  the  fate  of  all  unwelcome  coun- 
sellors, but  can  only  blame  my  own  presumption.  Mildred, 
we  live  in  momentous  times,  and  God  knows  what  is  to  hap- 
pen to  myself,  in  the  next  few  months ;  but  so  strong  is  the 
inexplicable  interest  that  I  feel  in  your  welfare  that  I  shall 
venture  still  to  offend.  I  like  not  this  Mr.  Wychecombe, 
who  is  so  devout  an  admirer  of  yours — real  or  affected — 
and,  as  to  the  liking  of  dependants  for  the  heir  of  a  con- 
siderable estate,  it  is  so  much  a  matter  of  course  that  I  count 
it  nothing." 

"The  heir  of  a  considerable  estate!"  repeated  Mildred,  in 
a  voice  to  which  the  natural  sweetness  returned,  quietly  re- 
suming the  arm  she  had  so  unceremoniously  dropped — 
"  Surely,  dear  sir,  you  are  not  speaking  of  Mr.  Thomas 
Wychecombe,  Sir  Wycherly's  nephew." 

"Of  whom  else  should  I  speak? — Has  he  not  been  your 
shadow  the  whole  day? — so  marked  in  his  attentions  as 
scarce  to  deem  it  necessary  to  conceal  his  suit?" 

"Has  it  really  struck  you  thus,  sir? — I  confess  I  did  not 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  1 73 

SO  consider  it.  We  are  so  much  at  home  at  the  Hall  that 
we  rather  expect  all  of  that  family  to  be  kind  to  us.  But 
whether  you  are  right  in  your  conjecture  or  not,  Mr.  Thomas 
Wychecombe  can  never  be  aught  to  me — and  as  proof,  Ad- 
miral Bluewater,  that  I  take  your  warning  as  it  is  meant, 
in  kindness  and  sincerity,  I  will  add  that  he  is  not  a  very 
particular  favorite." 

"I  rejoice  to  hear  it!  Now  there  is  his  namesake,  our 
young  lieutenant,  as  gallant  and  as  noble  a  fellow  as  ever 
lived — would  to  Heaven  he  was  not  so  wrapped  up  in  his 
profession  as  to  be  insensible  to  any  beauties  but  those  of 
a  ship.  Were  you  my  own  daughter,  Mildred,  I  could  give 
you  to  that  lad,  with  as  much  freedom  as  I  would  give  him 
my  estate,  were  he  my  son." 

Mildred  smiled — and  it  was  archly,  though  not  without  a 
shade  of  sorrow,  too — but  she  had  sufficient  self-command 
to  keep  her  feelings  to  herself,  and  too  much  maiden  reserve 
not  to  shrink  from  betraying  her  weakness  to  one  who,  after 
all,  was  little  more  than  a  stranger. 

"  I  dare  say,  sir,"  she  answered  with  an  equivocation 
which  was  perhaps  venial,  "  that  your  knowledge  of  the 
world  has  judged  both  these  gentlemen  rightly.  Mr.  Thomas 
Wychecome,  notwithstanding  all  you  heard  from  my  poor 
father,  is  not  likely  to  think  seriously  of  me;  and  I  will 
answer  for  my  own  feelings  as  regards  him.  I  am  in  no 
manner  a  proper  person  to  become  Lady  Wychecombe ;  and 
I  trust  I  should  have  the  prudence  to  decline  the  honor  were 
it  even  offered  to  me.  Believe  me,  sir,  my  father  would  have 
held  a  different  language  to-night,  had  it  not  been  for  Sir 
Wycherly's  wine  and  the  many  loyal  toasts  that  were  drunk. 
He  must  be  conscious  in  his  reflecting  moments  that  a  child 
of  his  is  unsuited  to  so  high  a  station.  Our  prospects  in  life 
were  once  better  than  they  are  now.  Admiral  Bluewater;  but 
they  have  never  been  such  as  to  raise  these  high  expecta- 
tions in  us," 

"  An  officer's  daughter  may  always  claim  to  be  a  gentle- 


174  THa   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

woman,  my  dear;  and  as  such  you  might  become  the  wife 
of  a  duke,  did  he  love  you.  Since  I  find  my  warning  un- 
necessary, however,  we  will  change  the  discourse.  Did  not 
something  extraordinary  occur  at  this  cliff  this  morning,  and 
in  connection  with  this  very  Mr.  Thomas  Wychecombe? 
Sir  Gervaise  was  my  informant;  but  he  did  not  relate  the 
matter  very  clearly." 

Mildred  explained  the  mistake,  and  then  gave  a  vivid  de- 
scription of  the  danger  in  which  the  young  lieutenant  had 
been  placed,  as  well  as  of  the  manner  in  which  he  had  extri- 
cated himself.  She  particularly  dwelt  on  the  extraordinary 
presence  of  mind  and  resolution,  by  means  of  which  he  had 
saved  his  life,  when  the  stone  first  gave  way  beneath  his 
foot. 

"All  this  is  well,  and  what  I  should  have  expected  from 
so  active  and  energetic  a  youth,"  returned  the  rear-admiral 
a  little  gravely;  "but  I  confess  I  would  rather  it  had  not 
happened.  Your  inconsiderate  and  reckless  young  men,  who 
risk  their  necks  idly  in  places  of  this  sort,  seldom  have 
much  in  them  after  all.  Had  there  been  a  motive,  it  would 
have  altered  the  case." 

"Oh!  but  there  was  a  motive,  sir;  he  was  far  from  doing 
so  silly  a  thing  for  nothing!" 

"  And  what  was  the  motive,  pray? — I  can  see  no  sufficient 
reason  why  a  man  of  sense  should  trust  his  person  over  a 
cliff  as  menacing  as  this.  One  may  approach  it  by  moon- 
light; but  in  the  day,  I  confess  to  you,  I  should  not  fancy 
standing  as  near  it  as  we  do  at  this  moment." 

Mildred  was  much  embarrassed  for  an  answer.  Her  own 
heart  told  her  Wycherly's  motive,  but  that  it  would  never  do 
to  avow  to  her  companion,  great  as  was  the  happiness  she 
felt  in  avowing  it  to  herself.  Gladly  would  she  have 
changed  the  discourse ;  but,  as  this  could  not  be  done,  she 
yielded  to  her  native  integrity  of  character,  and  told  the 
truth  as  far  as  she  told  anything. 

"  The  flowers  that  grow  on  the  sunny  side  of  these  rocks, 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  1 75 

Admiral  Bluewater,  are  singularly  fragrant  and  beautiful," 
she  said ;  "  and  hearing  my  mother  and  myself  speaking  of 
them,  and  how  much  the  former  delighted  in  them,  though 
they  were  so  seldom  to  be  had,  he  just  ventured  over  the 
cliff — not  here,  where  it  is  so  z'e'/j  perpendicular,  but  yonder, 
where  one  may  cling  to  it  very  well  with  a  little  care — and 
it  was  in  venturing  a  little — just  a  very  little  too  far,  he  told 
me  himself,  sir,  to-day  after  dinner, — that  the  stone  broke, 
and  the  accident  occurred.  I  do  not  think  Mr,  Wycherly 
Wychecombe  in  the  least  foolhardy,  and  not  at  all  disposed 
to  seek  a  silly  admiration  by  a  silly  exploit." 

"  He  has  a  most  lovely  and  a  most  eloquent  advocate,'^ 
returned  the  admiral,  smiling,  though  the  expression  of  his 
countenance  was  melancholy,  even  to  sadness;  "and  he  is 
acquitted.  I  think  few  men  of  his  years  would  hesitate 
about  risking  their  necks  for  flowers  so  fragrant  and  beauti- 
ful, and  so  much  coveted  hy  your  mother,  Mildred." 

"  And  he  a  sailor,  sir,  who  thinks  so  little  of  standing  on 
giddy  places,  and  laughs  at  fears  of  this  nature?" 

"Quite  true;  though  there  are  few  cliffs  on  board  ship. 
Ropes  are  our  sources  of  courage." 

"  So  I  should  think,  by  what  passed  to-day,"  returned  Mil- 
dred, laughing.  "  Mr.  Wycherly  called  out  for  a  rope,  and 
we  just  threw  him  one,  to  help  him  out  of  his  difficulty. 
The  moment  he  got  his  rope,  though  it  was  only  yonder 
small  signal-halyards,  he  felt  himself  as  secure  as  if  he 
stood  up  here,  on  the  height,  with  acres  of  level  ground 
around  him.  I  do  not  think  he  was  frightened  at  any  time; 
but  when  he  got  hold  of  that  little  rope,  he  was  fairly 
valiant!" 

Mildred  endeavored  to  laugh  at  her  own  history,  by  way 
of  veiling  her  interest  in  the  event;  but  her  companion  was 
too  old,  and  too  discerning,  to  be  easily  deceived.  He  con- 
tinued silent,  as  he  led  her  away  from  the  cliff;  and,  when 
he  entered  the  cottage,  Mildred  saw,  by  the  nearer  light  of 
the  candles,  that  his  countenance  was  still  sad. 


iy6  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

Admiral  Bluewater  remained  half  an  hour  longer  in  the 
cottage,  when  he  tore  himself  away  from  a  society  which, 
for  him,  possessed  a  charm  that  he  could  not  account  for, 
nor  yet  scarcely  estimate.  It  was  past  one  when  he  bid 
Mrs.  Button  and  her  daughter  adieu;  promising,  however, 
to  see  them  again  before  the  fleet  sailed.  Late  as  it  was, 
the  mother  and  Mildred  felt  no  disposition  to  retire,  after 
the  exciting  scenes  they  had  gone  through;  but,  feeling  a 
calm  on  their  spirits,  succeeding  the  rude  interruption  pro- 
duced by  Button's  brutality,  they  walked  out  on  the  cliff  to 
enjoy  the  cool  air,  and  the  bland  scenery  of  the  headland,  at 
that  witching  hour. 

"  I  should  feel  alarm  at  this  particularity  of  attention, 
from  most  men,  my  child,"  observed  the  prudent  mother,  as 
they  left  the  house;  "but  the  years,  and  especially  the  char- 
acter, of  Admiral  Bluewater  are  pledges  that  he  meditates 
nothing  foolish  nor  wrong." 

"  His  years  would  be  sufficient,  mother,"  cried  Mildred, 
laughing — for  her  laugh  came  easily,  since  the  opinion  she 
had  just  before  heard  of  Wycherly's  merit — "  leaving  the 
character  out  of  the  question." 

"  For  you,  perhaps,  Mildred,  but  not  for  himself.  Men 
rarely  seem  to  think  themselves  too  old  to  win  the  young  of 
our  sex;  and  what  they  want  in  attraction  they  generally 
endeavor  to  supply  by  flattery  and  artifice.  But  I  acquit 
our  new  friend  of  all  that." 

"  Had  he  been  my  own  father,  dearest  mother,  h'x^ 
language  and  the  interest  he  took  in  me  could  not  have 
been  more  paternal.  I  have  found  it  truly  delightful 
to  listen  to  such  counsel,  from  one  of  his  sex;  for,  in 
general,  they  do  not  treat  me  in  so  sincere  and  fatherly  a 
manner." 

Mrs.  Button's  lip  quivered,  her  eyelids  trembled  too,  and 
a  couple  of  tears  fell  on  her  cheeks. 

"  It  !s  new  to  you,  Mildred,  to  listen  to  the  language  of 
disinterested  affection  and  wisdom  from  one  of  his  years 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  1/7 

and  sex.  I  do  not  censure  your  listening  with  pleasure,  but 
merely  tell  you  to  remember  the  proper  reserve  of  your  years 
and  character.  Hist!  there  are  the  sounds  of  his  barge's 
oars." 

Mildred  listened,  and  the  measured  but  sudden  jerk  of 
oars  in  the  ruUocks  ascended  on  the  still  night  air,  as  dis- 
tinctly as  they  might  have  been  heard  in  the  boat.  At  the 
next  instant,  an  eight-oared  barge  moved  swiftly  out  from 
under  the  cliff,  and  glided  steadily  on  toward  a  ship  that 
had  one  lantern  suspended  from  the  end  of  her  gaff,  another 
in  her  mizzen-top,  and  the  small  night-flag  of  a  rear- 
admiral  fluttering  at  her  mizzen  royal-masthead.  The  cut- 
ter lay  nearest  to  the  landing,  and,  as  the  barge  approached 
her,  the  ladies  heard  the  loud  hail  of  "Boat  ahoy!"  The 
answer  was  also  audible ;  though  given  in  the  mild  gentle- 
manlike voice  of  Bluewater  himself.  It  was  simply,  "  Rear- 
admiral's  flag."  A  deathlike  stillness  succeeded  this  an- 
nunciation of  the  rank  of  the  officer  in  the  passing  boat, 
interrupted  only  by  the  measured  jerk  of  the  oars.  Once  or 
twice,  indeed,  the  keen  hearing  of  Mildred  made  her  fancy 
she  heard  the  common  dip  of  the  eight  oars,  and  the  wash 
of  the  water,  as  they  rose  from  the  element  to  gain  a  re- 
newed purchase.  As  each  vessel  was  approached,  however, 
the  hail  and  the  answer  were  renewed,  the  quiet  of  midnight 
in  every  instance  succeeding.  At  length  the  barge  was  seen 
shooting  along  on  the  quarter  of  the  Caesar,  the  rear-admiral's 
own  ship,  and  the  last  hail  was  given.  This  time  there  was 
a  slight  stir  in  the  vessel ;  and,  soon  after  the  sound  of  the 
oars  ceased,  the  lanterns  descended  from  the  stations  they 
had  held  since  nightfall.  Two  or  three  other  lanterns  were 
still  displayed  at  the  gaffs  of  other  vessels,  the  signs  that 
their  captains  were  not  on  board;  though  whether  they  were 
ashore,  or  visiting  in  the  fleet,  were  facts  best  known  to 
themselves.  The  Plantagenet,  however,  had  no  light;  it 
being  known  that  Sir  Gervaise  did  not  intend  to  come  off 
that  night. 
13 


178  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

When  all  this  was  over,  Mrs.  Dutton  and  Mildred  sought 
their  pillows,  after  an  exciting  day,  and,  to  them,  one  far 
more  momentous  than  they  were  then  aware  of. 


CHAPTER   XI. 


When  I  consider  life,  'tis  all  a  cheat  ; 
Yet  fool'd  with  hope,  men  favor  the  deceit ; 
Trust  on,  and  think  to-morrow  will  repay  ; 
To-morrow's  falser  than  the  former  day." 


Dryden. 


Although  Admiral  Bluewater  devoted  the  minimum  of 
time  to  sleep,  he  was  not  what  the  French  term  matinal. 
There  is  a  period  in  the  morning,  on  board  of  a  ship  of 
war — that  of  washing  decks — which  can  best  be  compared 
to  the  discomfort  of  the  American  purification,  yclep'd  "a 
house-cleaning."  This  occurs  daily,  about  the  rising  of  the 
sun;  and  no  officer  whose  rank  raises  him  above  mingling 
with  the  duty  ever  thinks,  except  on  extraordinary  occasions 
that  may  require  his  presence  for  other  purposes,  of  intrud- 
ing on  its  sacred  mysteries.  It  is  a  rabid  hour  in  a  ship, 
and  the  wisest  course  for  all  idlers  and  all  watch-officers 
who  are  not  on  duty  is  to  keep  themselves  under  hatches, 
if  their  convenience  will  possibly  allow  it.  He  w1:o  wears 
a  flag,  however,  is  usually  reposing  in  his  cot  at  this  critical 
moment;  or,  if  risen  at  all,  he  is  going  through  similar  daily 
ablutions  of  his  own  person. 

Admiral  Bluewater  was  in  the  act  of  opening  his  eyes 
when  the  splash  of  the  first  bucket  of  water  was  heard  on  the 
deck  of  the  Caesar,  and  he  lay  in  the  species  of  enjoyment 
which  is  so  peculiar  to  naval  men  after  they  have  risen  to 
the  station  of  commander;  a  sort  of  semi -trance,  in  which 
the  mind  summons  all  the  ancient  images  connected  with 
squalls;  reefing  topsails  in  the  rain;  standing  on  the  quar- 
ter of  a  yard,  shouting,  "  Haul  out  to  leeward!"  peering  over 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  1 79 

the  weather  hammock-cloths  to  eye  the  weather,  with  the 
sleet  pricking  the  face  like  needles; — and  washing  decks! 
These  dreamy  images  of  the  past,  however,  are  summoned 
merely  to  increase  the  sense  of  present  enjoyment.  They 
are  so  many  well-contrived  foils,  to  give  greater  brilliancy 
to  the  diamonds  of  a  comfortable  cot  and  the  entire  con- 
sciousness of  being  no  longer  exposed  to  an  untimely  sum- 
mons on  deck. 

Our  rear-admiral,  nevertheless,  was  not  a  vulgar  dreamer 
on  such  occasions.  He  though  little  of  personal  comforts  at 
any  time,  unless  indeed  when  personal  discomforts  obtruded 
themselves  on  his  attention ;  he  knew  little  or  nothing  of 
the  table,  whereas  his  friend  was  a  knowing  cook,  and  in 
his  days  of  probation  had  been  a  distinguished  caterer;  but 
he  was  addicted  to  a  sort  of  dreaming  of  his  own,  even  when 
the  sun  stood  in  the  zenith  and  he  was  walking  the  poop  in 
the  midst  of  a  circle  of  his  officers.  Still  he  could  not  re- 
frain from  glancing  back  at  the  past  that  morning,  as  plash 
after  plash  was  heard,  and  recalling  the  time  w^hen  magna 
pars  quorum  FUiT.  At  this  delectable  instant  the  ruddy 
face  of  a  "young  gentleman"  appeared  in  his  stateroom 
door,  and,  first  ascertaining  that  the  eyes  of  his  superior  were 
actually  open,  the  youngster  said : 

"A  note  from  Sir  Gervaise,  Admiral  Bluewater." 

"  Very  well,  sir" — taking  the  note. — "  How's  the  wind, 
Lord  Geoffrey?" 

"An  Irishman's  hurricane,  sir;  right  up  and  down.  Our 
first  says,  sir,  he  never  knew  finer  Channel  weather." 

"  Our  first  is  a  great  astrologer.  Is  the  fleet  riding  flood 
yet?" 

"No,  sir;  it's  slack-water;  or,  rather,  the  ebb  is  just 
beginning  to  make." 

"  Go  on  deck,  my  lord,  and  see  if  the  Dover  has  hove  in 
any  upon  her  larboard  bower,  so  as  to  bring  her  more  on  our 
quarter." 

"Ay-ay,  sir,"  and  this  cadet  of  one  of  the  most  illustrious 


l80  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

houses  of  England  skipped  up  the  ladder  to  ascertain  this 
fact. 

In  the  mean  while  Bluewater  stretched  out  an  arm,  drew  a 
curtain  from  before  his  little  window,  fumbled  for  some 
time  among  his  clothes  before  he  got  his  spectacles,  and 
then  opened  the  note.  This  early  epistle  was  couched  in 
the  following  words: 

"  Dear  Blue  : 

"  I  write  this  in  a  bed  big  enough  to  ware  a  ninety  in. 
I've  been  athwart-ships  half  the  night  without  knowing  it. 
Galleygo  has  just  been  in  to  report '  our  fleet'  all  well  and 
the  ships  riding  flood.  It  seems  there  is  a  good  lookout 
from  the  top  of  the  house,  where  part  of  the  roads  are  visi- 
ble. Magrath  and  the  rest  of  them  have  been  at  poor  Sir 
Wycherly  all  night,  I  learn,  but  he  remains  down  by  the 
head  yet.  I  am  afraid  the  good  old  man  will  never  be  in 
trim  again.  I  shall  remain  here  until  something  is  decided; 
and  as  we  cannot  expect  our  orders  until  next  day  after  to- 
morrow at  the  soonest,  one  might  as  well  be  here  as  on 
board.  Come  ashore  and  breakfast  with  us;  when  we  can 
consult  about  the  propriety  of  remaining  or  of  abandoning 
the  wreck.     Adieu, 

"  Oakes. 

"  Rear- Admiral  Bluewater. 

"  P.S. — There  was  a  little  occurrence  last  night,  connected 
with  Sir  Thomas  Wycherly 's  will,  that  makes  me  particu- 
larly anxious  to  see  you  as  early  as  possible  this  morning. 

Sir  Gervaise,  like  a  woman,  had  written  his  mind  in  his 
postscript.  The  scene  of  the  previous  night  had  forcibly 
presented  itself  to  his  recollection  on  awakening,  and,  call- 
ing for  his  writing-desk,  he  had  sent  off  this  note  at  the  dawn 
of  day,  with  the  wish  of  having  as  many  important  witnesses 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  l8l 

as  he  could  well  obtain  at  the  interview  he  intended  to  de- 
mand at  the  earliest  practicable  hour. 

"  What  the  deuce  can  Oakes  have  to  do  with  Sir  Wycherly 
Wychecombe's  will?"  thought  the  rear-admiral.  "By  the 
way,  that  puts  me  in  mind  of  my  own ;  and  of  my  own  recent 
determination.  What  are  my  poor  ^^30,000  to  a  man  with 
the  fortune  of  Lord  Bluewater?  Having  neither  a  wife  nor 
child,  brother  nor  sister  of  my  own^  I'll  do  what  I  please 
with  my  money.  Oakes  won^t  have  it;  besides,  he's  got 
enough  of  his  own,  and  to  spare.  An  estate  of  ^^7,000  a 
year,  besides  heaps  of  prize-money  funded.  I  dare  say  he 
has  a  good  ^12,000  a  year,  and  nothing  but  a  nephew  to 
inherit  it  all.  I'm  determined  to  do  as  I  please  with  my 
money.  I  made  every  shilling  of  it,  and  I'll  give  it  to 
whom  I  please." 

The  whole  time  Admiral  Bluewater  lay  with  liis  eyes  shut 
and  with  a  tongue  as  motionless  as  if  it  couldn't  stir.  With 
all  his  laissez  aller  manner,  however,  he  had  the  promptitude 
of  a  sailor  when  his  mind  was  made  up  to  do  a  thing,  though 
he  always  performed  it  in  his  own  peculiar  mode.  To  rise, 
dress,  and  prepare  to  quit  his  stateroom  occupied  him  but 
a  short  time ;  and  he  was  seated  before  his  own  writing-desk 
in  the  after-cabin  within  twenty  minutes  after  the  thoughts 
just  recorded  had  passed  through  his  mind.  His  first  act 
was  to  take  a  folded  paper  from  a  private  drawer,  and  glance 
his  eye  carelessly  over  it.  This  was  the  will  in  favor  of 
Lord  Bluewater.  It  was  expressed  in  very  concise  terms, 
filling  only  the  first  side  of  a  page.  This  will  he  copied, 
verbatim  et  literatim,  leaving  blanks  for  the  name  of  the  leg- 
atee, and  appointing  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  his  executor,  as  in 
the  will  already  executed.  When  finished  in  this  manner, 
he  set  about  filling  up  the  blanks.  For  a  passing  instant  he 
felt  tempted  to  insert  the  name  of  the  Pretender;  but,  smil- 
ing at  his  own  folly,  he  wrote  that  of  "  Mildred  Button, 
daughter  of  Francis  Button,  a  master  in  His  Majesty's 
Navy,"  in  all  the  places  that  it  was  requisite  so  to  do.    Then 


1 82  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

he  affixed  the  seal,  and,  folding  all  the  upper  part  of-  the 
sheet  over,  so  as  to  conceal  the  contents,  he  rang  a  little 
silver  bell,  which  always  stood  at  his  elbow.  The  outer 
cabin-door  was  opened  by  the  sentry,  who  thrust  his  head  in 
at  the  opening. 

"I  want  one  of  the  young  gentlemen,  sentry,"  said  the 
rear-admiral. 

The  door  closed,  and,  in  another  minute,  the  smiling  face 
of  Lord  Geoffrey  was  at  the  entrance  of  the  after-cabin. 

"  Who's  on  deck,  my  lord,"  demanded  Bluewater,  "  be- 
sides the  watch?" 

"  No  one,  sir.  All  the  idlers  keep  as  close  as  foxes  when 
the  decks  are  getting  it;  and  as  for  any  of  our  snorers  show- 
ing their  faces  before  six  bells,  it's  quite  out  of  the  question, 
sir." 

"  Some  one  must  surely  be  stirring  in  the  gun-room  by 
this  time !  Go  and  ask  the  chaplain  and  the  captain  of 
marines  to  do  me  the  favor  to  step  into  the  cabin — or  the 
first  lieutenant,  or  the  master,  or  any  of  the  idlers." 

The  midshipman  was  gone  two  or  three  minutes,  when  he 
returned  with  the  purser  and  the  chaplain. 

"The  first  lieutenant  is  in  the  fore-hold,  sir;  all  the  ma- 
rines have  got  their  deadlights  still  in,  and  the  master  is 
working-up  his  log,  the  gun-room  steward  says.  I  hope 
these  will  do,  sir;  they  are  the  greatest  idlers  in  the  ship, 
I  believe." 

Lord  Geoffrey  Cleveland  was  the  second  son  of  the  third 
duke  in  the  English  empire,  and  he  knew  it  as  well  as  any 
one  on  board.  Admiral  Bluewater  had  no  slavish  respect 
for  rank;  nevertheless,  like  all  men  educated  under  an  aris- 
tocratic system,  he  was  influenced  by  the  feeling  to  a  degree 
of  which  he  himself  was  far  from  being  conscious.  This 
young  scion  of  nobility  was  not  in  the  least  favored  in  mat- 
ters of  duty,  for  this  his  own  high  spirit  would  have  re- 
sented; but  he  dined  in  the  cabin  twice  as  often  as  any 
other  midshipman  on  board,  and  had  obtained  for  himself  a 


THE  TWO   ADMIRALS.  1 83 

sort  of  license  for  the  tongue,  that  emboldened  him  to  utter 
what  passed  for  smart  things  in  the  cockpit  and  gun-room, 
and  which,  out  of  all  doubt,  were  pert  things  everywhere. 
Neither  the  chaplain  nor  the  purser  took  offence  at  his  lib- 
erties on  the  present  occasion ;  and,  as  for  the  rear-admiral, 
he  had  not  attended  to  what  had  been  uttered.  As  soon, 
however,  as  he  found  others  in  his  cabin,  he  motioned  to 
them  to  approach  his  desk,  and  pointed  to  the  paper,  folded 
down  as  mentioned. 

"  Every  prudent  man,"  he  said,  "  and  especially  every 
prudent  sailor  and  soldier  in  a  time  of  war,  ought  to  be  pro- 
vided with  a  will.  This  is  mine,  just  drawn  up  by  myself; 
and  that  instrument  is  an  old  one,  which  I  now  destroy  in 
your  presence.  I  acknowledge  this  to  be  my  hand  and  seal," 
writing  his  name  and  touching  the  seal  with  a  finger  as  he 
spoke;  "affixed  to  this  my  last  will  and  testament.  Will 
you  have  the  kindness  to  act  as  witnesses?" 

When  the  chaplain  and  purser  had  affixed  their  names, 
there  still  remained  a  space  for  a  third  signature.  This,  by 
a  sign  from  his  superior,  the  laughing  midshipman  filled 
with  his  own  signature. 

"  I  hope  you've  recollected,  sir,"  cried  the  boy  with  glee, 
as  he  took  his  seat  to  obey,  "that  the  Bluewaters  and  Cleve- 
lands  are  related.  I  shall  be  grievously  disappointed  when 
this  will  is  proved,  if  my  name  be  not  found  somewhere 
in  it!" 

"  So  shall  I,  too,  my  lord,"  drily  returned  Bluewater ;  "  for 
I  fully  expect  it  will  appear  as  a  witness;  a  character  that 
is  at  once  fatal  to  all  claims  as  a  legatee." 

"  Well,  sir,  I  suppose  flag-officers  can  do  pretty  much  as 
they  please  with  their  money,  since  they  do  pretty  much  as 
they  please  with  the  ships  and  all  in  them.  I  must  lean  so 
much  the  harder  on  my  two  old  aunts,  as  I  appear  to  have 
laid  myself  directly  athwart-hawse  of  fortune  in  this  affair!" 

"Gentlemen,"  said  the  rear-admiral,  with  easy  courtesy, 
'*  I  regret  it  is  not  in  my  power  to  have  your  company  at 


184  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

dinner  to-day,  as  I  am  summoned  ashore  by  Sir  Gervaise, 
and  it  is  uncertain  when  I  can  get  off  again ;  but  to-morrow 
I  shall  hope  to  enjoy  that  pleasure." 

The  officers  bowed,  expressed  their  acknowledgments,  ac- 
cepted the  invitation,  bowed  once  or  twice  more  each,  and 
left  the  cabin,  with  the  exception  of  the  midshipman. 

"  Well,  sir,"  exclaimed  Bluewater,  a  little  surprised  at 
finding  he  was  not  alone,  after  a  minute  of  profound  reverie; 
"to  what  request  am  I  indebted  still  for  the  pleasure  of  your 
presence .''" 

"Why,  sir,  it's  just  forty  miles  to  my  father's  house  in 
Cornwall,  and  I  know  the  whole  family  is  there;  so  I  just 
fancied  that  by  bending  on  two  extra  horses,  a  chaise  might 
make  the  Park  gates  in  about  five  hours;  and  by  getting 
under  way  on  the  return  passage  to-morrow  about  this  time, 
the  old  Caesar  would  never  miss  a  crazy  reefer  more  or  less." 

"Very  ingeniously  put,  young  gentleman,  and  quite 
plausible.  When  I  was  of  your  age,  I  was  four  years  with- 
out once  seeing  either  father  or  mother." 

"  Yes,  sir,  but  that  was  such  a  long  time  ago!  Boys  can't 
stand  it  half  as  well  now  as  they  did  then,  as  all  old  people 
say." 

The  rear-admiral's  lips  moved  slightly,  as  if  a  smile 
struggled  about  his  mouth;  then  his  face  suddenly  lost  the 
expression  in  one  approaching  to  sadness. 

"  You  know,  Geoffrey,  I  am  not  commander-in-chief.  Sir 
Gervaise  alone  can  give  a  furlough." 

"Very  true,  sir;  but  whatever  you  ask  of  Sir  Gervaise  he 
always  does;  more  especially  as  concerns  us  of  your  flag- 
ship." 

"  Perhaps  that  is  true.  But,  my  boy,  we  live  in  serious 
times,  and  we  may  sail  at  an  hour's  notice.  Are  you  igno- 
rant that  Prince  Charles  Edward  has  landed  in  Scotland, 
and  that  the  Jacobites  are  up  and  doing?  If  the  French 
back  him,  we  may  have  our  hands  full  here  in  the  Channel. '^ 

"  Then  my  dear  mother  must  go  without  a  kiss  for  the  next 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  1 85 

twelvemonth!"  cried  the  gallant  boy,  dashing  a  hand  fur- 
tively across  his  eyes,  in  spite  of  his  resolution.  "  The 
throne  of  old  England  must  be  upheld,  even  though  not  a 
mother  nor  a  sister  in  the  island  see  a  midshipman  in 
years!" 

"  Nobly  said.  Lord  Geoffrey,  and  it  shall  be  known  at 
headquarters.  Your  family  is  whig;  and  you  do  well  at 
your  time  of  life  to  stick  to  the  family  politics." 

"A  small  run  on  the  shore,  sir,  would  be  a  great  pleasure 
after  six  months  at  sea.-*" 

*'You  must  ask  Captain  Stowel's  leave  for  that.  You 
know  I  never  interfere  with  the  duty  of  the  ship." 

"Yes,  sir;  but  there  are  so  many  of  us,  and  all  have  a 
hankering  after  terra  firma.  Might  I  just  say  that  I  have 
your  permission  to  ask  Captain  Stowel  to  let  me  have  a  run 
on  the  cliffs.?" 

"You  may  do  that,  my  lord,  if  you  wish  it;  but  Stowel 
knows  that  he  can  do  as  he  pleases." 

"  He  would  be  a  queer  captain  of  a  man-of-war  if  he 
didn't,  sir!  Thank  you.  Admiral  Bluewater;  I  will  write  to 
my  mother,  and  I  know  she'll  be  satisfied  with  the  reason  I 
shall  give  her  for  not  coming  to  see  her.  Good- morning, 
sir." 

"  Good-morning" — then,  when  the  boy's  hand  was  on  the 
lock  of  the  cabin-door — "my  lord?" 

"  Did  you  wish  to  say  anything  more,  sir?" 

"  When  you  write,  remember  me  kindly  to  the  Duchess. 
We  were  intimate  when  young  people;  and,  I  might  say, 
loved  each  other." 

The  midshipman  promised  to  do  as  desired;  then  the 
rear-admiral  was  left  alone.  He  walked  the  cabin  for  half 
an  hour,  musing  on  what  he  had  done  in  relation  to  his 
property,  and  on  what  he  ought  to  do  in  relation  to  the  Pre- 
tender; when  he  suddenly  summoned  his  coxswain,  gave  a 
few  directions,  and  sent  an  order  on  deck  to  have  his  barge 
manned.     The  customary  reports  went  their  usual  rounds, 


1 86  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

and  reached  the  cabin  in  about  three  minutes  more;  Lord 
Geoffrey  bringing  them  down  again. 

"  The  barge  is  manned,  sir/'  said  the  lad,  standing  near 
the  cabin -door,  rigged  out  in  the  neat  go-ashore  clothes  of 
a  midshipman. 

"  Have  you  seen  Captain  Stowel,  my  lord?"  demanded  the 
rear-admiral. 

"I  have,  sir;  and  he  has  given  me  permission  to  drift 
along  shore  until  sunset;  to  be  off  with  the  evening  gun  of 
the  vice-admiral." 

"  Then  do  me  the  favor  to  take  a  seat  in  my  barge,  if  you 
are  quite  ready." 

This  offer  was  accepted,  and  in  a  few  minutes  all  the  cere- 
monies of  the  deck  had  been  observed,  and  the  rear-admiral 
was  seated  in  his  barge.  It  was  now  so  late  that  etiquette 
had  fair  play,  and  no  point  was  omitted  on  the  occasion. 
The  captain  was  on  deck  in  person,  as  well  as  gun-room 
officers  enough  to  represent  their  body ;  the  guard  was  pa- 
raded, under  its  officers;  the  drums  rolled;  the  boatswain 
piped  six  side-boys  over,  and  Lord  Geoffrey  skipped  down 
first  into  the  boat,  remaining  respectfully  standing  until  his 
superior  was  seated.  All  these  punctilios  observed,  the 
boat  was  shoved  off  from  the  vessel's  side,  the  eight  oars 
dropped  as  one,  and  the  party  moved  towards  the  shore. 
Every  cutter,  barge,  yawl,  or  launch  that  was  met,  and  which 
did  not  contain  an  officer  of  rank  itself,  tossed  its  oars  as 
this  barge,  with  the  rear-admiral's  flag  fluttering  in  its  bow, 
passed,  while  the  others  lay  on  theirs,  the  gentlemen  saluting 
with  their  hats.  In  this  manner  the  barge  passed  the  fleet 
and  approached  the  shore.  At  the  landing,  a  little  natural 
quay  formed  by  a  low,  flat  rock,  there  was  a  general  move- 
ment as  the  rear-admiral's  flag  was  seen  to  draw  near;  and 
even  the  boats  of  captains  were  shoved  aside  to  give  the 
naval  pas.  As  soon,  however,  as  the  foot  of  Bluewater 
touched  the  rock,  the  little  flag  was  struck;  and,  a  minute 
later,  a  cutter  with  only  a  lieutenant  in  her  coming  in,  that 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  1 8/ 

officer  ordered  the  barge  to  make  way  for  him^  with  an  air  of 
high  and  undisputed  authority. 

Perhaps  there  was  not  a  man  in  the  British  marine  to 
whom  the  etiquette  of  the  service  gave  less  concern  than  to 
Bluewater.  In  this  respect  he  was  the  very  reverse  of  his 
friend;  for  Sir  Gervaise  was  a  punctilious  observer  and  a 
rigid  enforcer  of  all  the  prescribed  ceremonials.  This  was 
by  no  means  the  only  professional  point  on  which  these  two 
distinguished  officers  differed.  It  has  already  been  men- 
tioned that  the  rear-admiral  was  the  best  tactician  in  Eng- 
land, while  the  vice-admiral  was  merely  respectable  in  that 
branch  of  his  duty.  On  the  other  hand,  Sir  Gervaise  was 
deemed  the  best  practical  seaman  afloat,  so  far  as  a  single 
ship  was  concerned,  while  Bluewater  had  no  particular  rep- 
utation in  that  way.  Then,  as  to  discipline,  the  same  dis- 
tinction existed.  The  commander-in-chief  was  a  little  of  a 
martinet,  exacting  compliance  with  the  most  minute  regula- 
tions; while  his  friend,  even  when  a  captain,  had  thrown 
the  police  duty  of  his  ship  very  much  on  what  is  called  the 
executive  officer,  or  the  first  lieutenant;  leaving  to  that  im- 
portant functionary  the  duty  of  devising  as  well  as  of  exe- 
cuting the  system  by  which  order  and  cleanliness  were 
maintained  in  the  vessel.  Nevertheless,  Bluewater  had  his 
merit  even  in  this  peculiar  feature  of  the  profession.  He 
had  made  the  best  captain  of  the  fleet  to  his  friend  that  had 
ever  been  met  with.  This  office,  which  in  some  measure 
corresponds  to  that  of  an  adjutant-general  on  shore,  was 
suited  to  his  generalizing  and  philosophical  turn  of  mind; 
and  he  had  brought  all  its  duties  within  the  circle  and  con- 
trol of  clear  and  simple  principles,  which  rendered  them 
pleasant  and  easy.  Then,  too,  whenever  he  commanded  in 
chief,  as  frequently  happened  for  a  week  or  two  at  a  time, 
Sir  Gervaise  being  absent,  it  was  remarked  that  the  common 
service  of  the  fleet  went  on  like  clockwork;  his  mind  seem- 
ing to  embrace  generals,  when  it  refused  to  descend  to  de- 
tails.    In  consequence  of  these  personal  peculiarities,  the 


1 88  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

captains  often  observed  that  Bluewater  ought  to  have  been 
the  senior  and  Oakes  the  junior,  and  then  their  joint  com- 
mands would  have  produced  perfection ;  but  these  criticisms 
must  be  set  down  in  a  great  measure  to  the  natural  propen- 
sity to  find  fault,  and  an  inherent  desire  in  men,  even  when 
things  are  perfectly  well  in  themselves,  to  prove  their  own 
superiority  by  pointing  out  modes  and  means  by  which  they 
might  be  made  much  better.  Had  the  service  been  on  land, 
this  opinion  might  possibly  have  had  more  practical  truth 
in  it;  but  the  impetuosity  and  daring  of  Sir  Gervaise  were 
not  bad  substitutes  for  tactics  in  the  straightforward  combats 
of  ships.     To  resume  the  narrative. 

When  Bluewater  landed,  he  returned  the  profound  and 
general  salute  of  all  on  or  near  the  rock  by  a  sweeping  but 
courteous  bow,  which  was  nevertheless  given  in  a  vacant, 
slovenly  manner;  and  immediately  began  to  ascend  the 
ravine.  He  had  actually  reached  the  grassy  acclivity  above 
before  he  was  at  all  aware  of  any  person's  being  near  him. 

Turning,  he  perceived  that  the  midshipman  was  at  his 
heels,  respect  alone  preventing  one  of  the  latter's  active 
limbs  and  years  from  skipping  past  his  superior  on  the 
ascent.  The  admiral  recollected  how  little  there  was  to 
amuse  one  of  the  boy's  habits  in  a  place  like  Wychecombe, 
and  he  good-naturedly  determined  to  take  him  along  with 
himself. 

"  You  are  little  likely  to  find  any  diversion  here,  Lord 
Geoffrey,"  he  said;  "  if  you  will  accept  of  the  society  of  a 
dull  old  fellow  like  myself,  you  shall  see  all  I  see,  be  it 
more  or  less." 

"  I've  shipped  for  the  cruise,  sir,  and  am  ready  and  happy, 
too,  to  follow  your  motions,  with  or  without  signals,"  re- 
turned the  laughing  youngster.  "  I  suppose  Wychecombe 
is  about  as  good  as  Portsmouth  or  Plymouth;  and  I'm  sure 
these  green  fields  are  handsomer  than  the  streets  of  any 
dirty  town  I  ever  entered," 

"  Ay,  green  fields  are  indeed  pleasant  to  the  eyes  of  us 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  1 89 

sailors,  who  see  nothing  but  water  for  months  at  a  time. 
Turn  to  the  right,  if  you  please,  my  lord;  I  wish  to  call  at 
yonder  signal-station  on  my  way  to  the  Hall." 

The  boy,  as  is  not  usual  with  lads  of  his  age,  inclined  in 
"the  way  he  was  told  to  go,"  and  in  a  few  minutes  both 
stood  on  the  headland.  As  it  would  not  have  done  for  the 
master  to  be  absent  from  his  staff  during  the  day,  with  a 
fleet  in  the  roads.  Button  was  already  at  his  post,  cleanly 
dressed  as  usual,  but  trembling  again  with  the  effect  of  the 
last  night's  debauch  on  his  nerves.  He  arose  with  great 
deference  of  manner  to  receive  the  rear-admiral,  and  not 
without  many  misgivings  of  conscience;  for,  while  memory 
furnished  a  tolerable  outline  of  what  had  occurred  in  the 
interview  between  himself  and  his  wife  and  daughter,  wine 
had  lost  its  influence  and  no  longer  helped  to  sustain  his 
self-command.  He  was  much  relieved,  however,  by  the 
discreet  manner  in  which  he  was  met  by  Bluewater. 

"How  is  Sir  Wycherly?"  inquired  the  admiral,  saluting 
the  master  as  if  nothing  had  happened,  "a  note  from  Sir 
Gervaise,  written  about  daybreak,  tells  me  he  was  not  then 
essentially  better." 

"  I  wish  it  were  in  my  power  to  give  you  any  good  news, 
sir.  He  must  be  conscious,  notwithstanding,  for  Dick,  his 
groom,  has  just  ridden  over  with  a  note  from  Mr.  Rotherham, 
to  say  that  the  excellent  old  baronet  particularly  desires  to 
see  my  wife  and  daughter;  and  that  the  coach  will  be  here 
to  take  them  over  in  a  few  minutes.  If  you  are  bound  to 
the  Hall  this  morning,  sir,  I'm  sure  the  ladies  would  be 
delighted  to  give  you  a  seat." 

"Then  I  will  profit  by  their  kindness,"  returned  Blue- 
water,  seating  himself  on  the  bench  at  the  foot  of  the  staff; 
"more  especially  if  you  think  they  will  excuse  my  adding 
Lord  Geoffrey  Cleveland,  one  of  Stowel's  midshipmen,  to 
the  party.  He  has  entered  to  follow  my  motions,  with  or 
without  signals." 

Dutton   uncovered  again  and  bowed  profoundly  at  this 


190  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

announcement  of  the  lad's  name  and  rank ;  the  boy  himself 
taking  the  salute  in  an  off-hand  and  indifferent  way,  like 
one  already  wearied  with  vulgar  adulation,  while  he  gazed 
about  him  with  some  curiosity  at  the  headland  and  flagstaff. 

"This  is  a  good  lookout,  sir,"  observed  the  midshipman; 
"  and  one  that  is  somewhat  loftier  than  our  cross-trees.  A 
pair  of  sharp  eyes  might  see  everything  that  passes  within 
twenty  miles;  and,  as  a  proof  of  it,  I  shall  be  the  first  to 
sing  out  *  Sail,  ho! '" 

"  Where-away,  my  young  lord?"  said  Button,  fidgeting  as 
if  he  had  neglected  his  duty  in  the  presence  of  a  superior; 
"  I'm  sure  your  lordship  can  see  nothing  but  the  fleet  at  an- 
chor and  a  few  boats  passing  between  the  different  ships 
and  the  landing!" 

"  Where-away,  sure  enough,  youngster?"  added  the  admi- 
ral. "  I  see  some  gulls  glanc  ng  along  the  surface  of  the 
water  a  mile  or  two  outside  the  ships,  but  nothing  like  a 
sail." 

The  boy  caught  up  Button's  glass,  which  lay  on  the  seat, 
and  in  a  minute  he  had  it  levelled  at  the  expanse  of  water. 
It  was  some  little  time  and  not  without  much  sighting  along 
the  barrel  of  the  instrument  that  he  got  it  to  suit  himself. 

"  Well,  Master  Sharp-eyes,"  said  Bluewater  drily,  "  is  it 
a  Frenchman  or  a  Spaniard?" 

"  Hold  on  a  moment,  sir,  until  I  can  get  this  awkward 
glass  to  bear  on  it. — Ay — now  I  have  her — she's  but  a  speck 
at  the  best — royals  and  head  of  topgallant-sails — no,  sir, 
by  George,  it's  our  own  cutter,  the  Active,  with  her  square- 
sail  set,  and  the  heads  of  her  lower  sails  just  rising.  I 
know  her  by  the  way  she  carries  her  gaff." 

"  The  Active ! — that  betokens  news,"  observed  Bluewater 
thoughtfully — for  the  march  of  events  at  that  moment  must 
necessarily  bring  on  a  crisis  in  his  own  career.  "  Sir  Ger- 
vaise  sent  her  to  look  into  Cherbourg." 

"Yes,  sir;  we  all  know  that — and  there  she  comes  to  tell 
us,  I  hope,  that  Monsieur  de  Vervillin  has  at  last  made  up 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  I9I 

his  mind  to  come  out  and  face  us  like  a  man.  Will  you 
look  at  the  sail,  sir?" 

Bluewater  took  the  glass,  and,  sweeping  the  horizon,  he 
soon  caught  a  view  of  his  object.  A  short  survey  sufficed 
for  one  so  experienced,  and  he  handed  the  glass  back  to  the 
boy. 

"  You  have  quick  eyes,  sir,"  he  said  as  he  did  so ;  "  that 
is  a  cutter  certainly,  standing  in  for  the  roads,  and  I  believe 
you  may  be  right  in  taking  her  for  the  Active." 

"'Tisa  long  way  to  know  so  small  a  craft!"  observed 
Button,  who  also  took  his  look  at  the  stranger. 

"  Very  true,  sir,"  answered  the  boy ;  "  but  one  ought  to 
tell  a  friend  as  far  as  he  can  see  him.  The  Active  carries 
a  longer  and  a  lower  gaff  than  any  other  cutter  in  the  navy, 
which  is  the  way  we  all  tell  her  from  the  Gnat,  the  cutter 
we  have  with  us." 

•"  I  am  glad  to  find  your  lordship  is  so  close  an  observer," 
returned  the  complaisant  Button ;  "  a  certain  sign,  my  lord, 
that  your  lordship  will  make  a  good  sailor  in  time." 

"  Geoffrey  is  a  good  sailor  already,"  observed  the  admiral, 
who  knew  that  the  youngster  was  never  better  pleased  than 
when  he  dropped  the  distance  of  using  his  title,  and  spoke 
to  or  of  him  as  of  a  connection;  which  in  truth  he  was. 
"  He  has  now  been  with  me  four  years;  having  joined  when 
he  was  only  twelve.  Two  more  years  will  make  an  officer 
of  him." 

"  Yes,  sir,"  said  Button,  bowing  first  to  one  and  then  to 
the  other.  "Yes,  sir;  his  lordship  may  well  look  forward 
to  that  with  his  particular  merit,  your  esteemed  favor,  and 
his  own  great  name.  Ah!  sir,  they've  caught  a  sight  of  the 
stranger  in  the  fleet,  and  bunting  is  at  work  already." 

In  anchoring  his  ships.  Admiral  Bluewater  had  kept  them 
as  close  together  as  the  fog  rendered  safe ;  for  one  of  the 
great  difficulties  of  a  naval  commander  is  to  retain  his  ves- 
sels in  compact  order  in  thick  or  heavy  weather.  Orders 
had  been  given,  however,  for  a  sloop  and  a  frigate  to  weigh 


192  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

and  stretch  out  into  the  offing  a  league  or  two  as  soon  as  the 
fog  left  them  the  preceding  day,  in  order  to  sweep  as  wide 
a  reach  of  the  horizon  as  was  convenient.  In  order  to 
maintain  their  ground  in  a  light  wind  and  with  a  strong  tide 
running,  these  two  cruisers  had  anchored;  one  at  the  dis- 
tance of  a  league  from  the  fleet,  and  the  other  a  mile  or  two 
farther  outside,  though  more  to  the  eastward.  The  sloop 
lay  nearest  to  the  stranger,  and  signals  were  flying  at  her 
main-royal-masthead,  which  the  frigate  was  repeating  and 
transmitting  to  the  flagship  of  the  commander-in-chief. 
Bluewater  was  so  familiar  with  all  the  ordinary  signals  that 
it  was  seldom  he  had  recourse  to  his  book  for  the  explana- 
tions; and  in  the  present  instance  he  saw  at  once  that  it 
was  the  Active's  number  that  was  shown.  Other  signals, 
however,  followed,  which  it  surpassed  the  rear-admiral's 
knowledge  to  read  without  assistance ;  from  all  which  he  was 
satisfied  that  the  stranger  brought  intelligence  of  importance, 
and  which  could  only  be  understood  by  referring  to  the 
private  signal-book. 

While  these  facts  were  in  the  course  of  occurrence,  the 
coach  arrived  to  convey  Mrs.  Button  and  Mildred  to  the 
Hall.  Bluewater  now  presented  himself  to  the  ladies,  and 
was  received  as  kindly  as  they  had  separated  from  him  a  few 
hours  before ;  nor  were  the  latter  displeased  at  hearing  he 
was  to  be  their  companion  back  to  the  dwelling  of  Sir 
Wycherly. 

"  I  fear  this  summons  bodes  evil  tidings,"  said  Mrs.  But- 
ton; "  he  would  hardly  think  of  desiring  to  see  us,  unless 
something  quite  serious  were  on  his  mind;  and  the  mes- 
senger said  he  was  no  better." 

"We  shall  learn  all,  my  dear  lady,  when  we  reach  the 
Hall,"  returned  Bluewater ;  "  and  the  sooner  we  reach  it  the 
sooner  our  doubts  will  be  removed.  Before  we  enter  the 
carriage,  let  me  make  you  acquainted  with  my  young  friend, 
Lord  Geoffrey  Cleveland,  whom  I  have  presumed  to  invite 
to  be  of  the  party." 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  1 93 

The  handsome  young  midshipman  was  well  received, 
though  Mrs.  Button  had  been  too  much  accustomed  in  early- 
life  to  see  people  of  condition  to  betray  the  same  deference 
as  her  husband  for  the  boy's  rank.  The  ladies  occupied,  as 
usual,  the  hind  seat  of  the  coach,  leaving  that  in  front  to 
their  male  companions.  The  arrangement  accidentally 
brought  Mildred  and  the  midshipman  opposite  each  other: 
a  circumstance  that  soon  attracted  the  attention  of  the  ad- 
miral in  a  way  that  was  a  little  odd,  if  not  remarkable. 
There  is  a  charm  in  youth  that  no  other  period  of  life  pos- 
sesses; infancy,  with  its  helpless  beauty,  scarcely  seizing 
upon  the  imagination  and  senses  with  an  equal  force.  Both 
the  young  persons  in  question  possessed  this  advantage  in  a 
high  degree ;  and  had  there  been  no  other  peculiarity,  the 
sight  might  readily  have  proved  pleasing  to  one  of  Blue- 
water's  benevolence  and  truth  of  feeling.  The  boy  was 
turned  of  sixteen ;  an  age  in  England  when  youth  does  not 
yet  put  on  the  appearance  of  manhood ;  and  he  retained  all 
the  evidences  of  a  gay,  generous  boyhood,  rendered  a  little 
piquant  by  the  dash  of  archness,  roguery,  and  fun,  that  a 
man-of-war  is  tolerably  certain  to  impart  to  a  lad  of  spirit. 
Nevertheless  his  countenance  retained  an  expression  of 
ingenuousness  and  of  sensitive  feeling  that  was  singularly 
striking  in  one  of  his  sex,  and  which,  in  spite  of  her  beauty 
of  feature,  hair,  and  complexion,  formed  the  strongest  attrac- 
tion in  the  loveliness  of  Mildred ;  that  expression  which  had 
so  much  struck  and  charmed  Bluewater — haunted  him,  we 
might  add — since  the  previous  day,  by  appearing  so  familiar 
even  while  so  extraordinary,  and  for  which  he  had  been 
unable  to  recollect  a  counterpart.  As  she  now  sat  face  to 
face  with  Lord  Geoffrey,  to  his  great  surprise  the  rear-admi- 
ral found  much  of  the  same  character  of  this  very  expression 
in  the  handsome  boy  as  in  the  lovely  girl.  It  is  true,  the 
look  of  ingenuousness  and  of  sensitive  feeling  was  far  less 
marked  in  young  Cleveland  than  in  Mildred,  and  there  was 
little  general  resemblance  of  feature  or  countenance  between 
13 


ig4  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

the  two;  still  the  first  was  to  be  found  in  both,  and  so  dis- 
tinctly as  to  be  easily  traced  when  placed  in  so  close  contact. 
Geoffrey   Cleveland  had  the  reputation  of  being  like  his 
mother;  and,  furnished  with  this  clue,  the  fact    suddenly 
flashed  on  Bluewater's  mind  that  the  being  whom  Mildred 
so  nearly  and  strikingly  resembled  was  a  deceased  sister  of 
the  Duchess,  and  a  beloved  cousin  of  his  own.     Miss  Hed- 
worth,  the  young  lady  in  question,  had  long  been  dead;  but 
all  who  had  known  her  retained  the  most  pleasing  impres- 
sions equally  of  her  charms  of   person  and  of  mind.     Be- 
tween her  and  Bluewater  there  had  existed  a  tender  friend- 
ship, in  which,  however,  no  shade  of  passion  had  mingled; 
a  circumstance  that  was  in  part  owing  to  the  difference  in 
their  years,  Captain  Bluewater  having  been  nearly  twice  his 
young  relative's  age ;  and  in  part  probably  to  the  invincible 
manner  in  which  the  latter  seemed  wedded  to  his  profession 
and  his  ship.     Agnes  Hedworth,  notwithstanding,  had  been 
very  dear  to  our  sailor  from  a  variety  of  causes — far  more 
so  than  her  sister,  the  Duchess,  though  she  was  a  favorite 
— and  the   rear-admiral,   when   his    mind  glanced    rapidly 
through  the  chain  of  association  that  traced  the  accidental 
resemblance  of  Mildred  to  this  esteemed  object,  had  a  sin- 
cere delight  in  finding  he  had  thus  been  unconsciously  at- 
tracted by  one  whose  every  look  and  smile  now  forcibly  re- 
minded him  of  the  countenance  of  a  being  whom,  in  her 
day,  he  had  thought  so  near  perfection.     This  delight,  how- 
ever, was  blended  with  sadness,  on  various  accounts ;  and 
the  short  excursion  proved  to  be  so  melancholy,  that  no  one 
was  sorry  when  it  terminated. 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  I95 


CHAPTER   XII.  , 

"  Nat.  Truly,  Master  Holofemes,  the  epithets  are  sweetly  varied,  like  a  scholar 
at  the  least.     But,  sir,  I  assure  ye,  it  was  a  buck  of  the  first  head. 
Hoi.  Sir  Nathaniel,  haud  credo. 
Bull.  'Twas  not  a  haud  credo.,  'twas  a  pricket." 

Lovers  Labor's  Lost. 

Every  appearance  of  the  jolly  negligence  which  had  been 
so  characteristic  of  life  at  W}'checombe  Hall  had  vanished, 
when  the  old  coach  drew  up  in  the  court  to  permit  the  party 
it  had  brought  from  the  station  to  alight.  As  no  one  was 
expected  but  Mrs.  Button  and  her  daughter,  not  even  a  foot- 
man appeared  to  open  the  door  of  the  carriage ;  the  vulgar- 
minded  usually  revenging  their  own  homage  to  the  powerful 
by  manifesting  as  many  slights  as  possible  to  the  weak. 
Galleygo  let  the  new  comers  out,  and  consequently  he  was 
the  first  person  of  whom  inquiries  were  made  as  to  the  state 
of  things  in  the  house. 

"  Well,"  said  Admiral  Bluewater,  looking  earnestly  at  the 
steward;  "how  is  Sir  Wycherly,  and  what  is  the  news?" 

"Sir  Wycherly  is  still  on  the  doctor's  list,  your  honor; 
and  I  expects  his  case  is  set  down  as  a  hard  'un.  We's  as 
well  as  can  be  expected,  and  altogether  in  good  heart.  Sir 
Jarvy  turned  out  with  the  sun,  thof  he  didn't  turn  in  'till  the 
middle-watch  was  half  gone — or  two  bells,  as  they  calls  'em 
aboard  this  house — -four  bells,  as  we  should  say  in  the  old 
Planter — and  chickens,  I  hears,  has  riz  a  shillin'  a  head 
since  our  first  boat  landed." 

"  It's  a  melancholy  business,  Mrs.  Button ;  I  fear  there 
can  be  little  hope." 

"Yes,  it's  all  that^  Admiral  Blue,"  continued  Galleygo, 
following  the  party  into  the  house,  no  one  but  himself  hear- 
ing a  word  he  uttered;  "and  'twill  be  worse  afore  it's  any 
better.  They  tells  me  potaties  has  taken  a  start,  too;  and 
as  all  theb'ysof  all  the  young  gentlemen  in  the  fleet  is  out, 


196  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

like  so  many  wild  locusts  of  Hegypt,  I  expects  nothing  bet- 
ter than  as  our  mess  will  fare  as  bad  as  sogers  on  a  retreat." 

In  the  hall  Tom  Wychecombe  and  his  namesake,  the 
lieutenant,  met  the  party.  From  the  formal  despondency  of 
the  first,  everything  they  apprehended  was  confirmed.  The 
last,  however,  was  more  cheerful  and  not  altogether  without 
hope;  as  he  did  not  hesitate  openly  to  avow. 

"  For  myself,  I  confess  I  think  Sir  Wycherly  much  bet- 
ter," he  said;  "although  the  opinion  is  not  sanctioned  by 
that  of  the  medical  men.  His  desiring  to  see  these  ladies 
is  favorable;  and  then  cheering  news  for  him  has  been 
brought  back  already  by  the  messenger  sent  only  eight  hours 
since  for  his  kinsman,  Sir  Reginald  Wychecombe.  He  has 
sensibly  revived  since  that  report  was  brought  in." 

"Ah!  my  dear  namesake,"  rejoined  Tom,  shaking  his 
head  mournfully;  "you  cannot  know  my  beloved  uncle's 
constitution  and  feelings  as  well  as  I!  Rely  on  it,  the 
medical  men  are  right;  and  your  hopes  deceive  you.  The 
sending  for  Mrs.  Button  and  Miss  Mildred,  both  of  whom 
my  honored  uncle  respects  and  esteems,  looks  more  like 
leave-taking  than  anything  else;  and  as  to  Sir  Reginald 
Wychecombe  —  though  a  relative,  beyond  a  question  —  I 
think  there  has  been  some  mistake  in  sending  for  him; 
since  he  is  barely  an  acquaintance  of  the  elder  branch  of 
the  family,  and  he  is  of  the  half-blood." 

'^ Half  what,  Mr.  Thomas  Wychecombe?"  demanded  the 
vice-admiral  so  suddenly,  behind  the  speaker,  as  to  cause  all 
to  start;  Sir  Gervaise  having  hastened  to  meet  the  ladies 
and  his  friend  as  soon  as  he  knew  of  their  arrival.  "  I  ask 
pardon,  sir,  for  my  abrupt  inquiry ;  but,  as  /  was  the  means 
of  sending  for  Sir  Reginald  Wychecombe,  I  feel  an  interest 
in  knowing  his  exact  relationship  to  my  host?" 

Tom  started  and  even  paled  at  this  sudden  question; 
then  the  color  rushed  into  his  temples;  he  became  calmer, 
and  replied : 

''Half-blood,  Sir  Gervaise,"  he  said  steadily.     "This  is 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  19/ 

an  affinity  that  puts  a  person  altogether  out  of  the  line  of 
succession ;  and,  of  course,  removes  any  necessity  or  wish  to 
see  Sir  Reginald."  , 

'' Half -^/^^^— hey!  Atwood?"  muttered  the  vice-admiral, 
turning  away  toward  his  secretary,  who  had  followed  him 
down-stairs.  "  This  may  be  the  solution,  after  all !  Do  you 
happen  to  know  what  half-^/<?^^  means?  It  cannot  signify 
that  Sir  Reginald  comes  from  one  of  those  who  have  no 
father — all  their  ancestry  consisting  only  of  a  mother?" 

"I  should  think  not,  Sir  Ger\'aise;  in  that  case,  Sir  Reg- 
inald would  scarcely  be  considered  of  so  honorable  a  line- 
age as  he  appears  to  be.  I  have  not  the  smallest  idea,  sir, 
what  half -^/<:?^^  means ;  and  perhaps  it  may  not  be  amiss  to 
inquire  of  the  medical  gentlemen.  Magrath  is  up  stairs; 
possibly  he  can  tell  us." 

"  I  rather  think  it  has  something  to  do  with  the  law.  If 
this  out-of-the-way  place  now  could  furnish  even  a  lubberly 
attorney,  we  might  learn  all  about  it.  Harkee,  Atwood; 
you  must  stand  by  to  make  Sir  Wycherly's  will,  if  he  says 
anything  more  about  it — have  you  got  the  heading  all  writ- 
ten out,  as  I  desired." 

"  It  is  quite  ready.  Sir  Gervaise — beginning,  as  usual,  *  In 
the  name  of  God,  Amen.'  I  have  even  ventured  so  far  as 
to  describe  the  testator's  style  and  residence,  etc.,  etc. — '  I, 
Sir  Wycherly  Wycheconjbe,  Bart.,  of  Wychecombe  Hall, 
Devon,  do  make  and  declare  this  to  be  my  last  will  and  tes- 
tament, etc.,  etc'  Nothing  is  wanting  but  the  devises,  as 
the  lawyers  call  them.  I  can  manage  a  will  well  enough. 
Sir  Gervaise,  I  believe.  One  of  mine  has  been  in  the  courts 
now  these  five  years,  and  they  tell  me  it  sticks  there  as  well 
as  if  it  had  been  drawn  in  the  Middle  Temple." 

"Ay,  I  know  your  skill.  Still  there  can  be  no  harm  in 
just  asking  Magrath;  though  I  think  it  must  be  law,  after 
all!  Run  up  and  ask  him,  Atwood,  and  bring  me  the  an- 
swer in  the  drawing-room,  where  I  see  Bluewater  has  gone 
with  his  convoy ;  and — harkee — tell  the  surgeons  to  let  us 


198  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

know  the  instant  the  patient  says  anything  about  his  tempo- 
ral affairs.  The  twenty  thousand  in  the  funds  are  his,  to  do 
what  he  pleases  with ;  let  the  land  be  tied  up  as  it  may." 

While  this  "  aside"  was  going  on  in  the  hall,  Bluewater 
and  the  rest  of  the  party  had  entered  a  small  parlor,  that 
was  in  constant  use,  still  conversing  of  the  state  of  Sir 
Wycherly.  As  all  of  them  but  the  two  young  men  were  ig- 
norant of  the  nature  of  the  message  to  Sir  Reginald  Wyche- 
combe  and  of  the  intelligence  in  connection  with  that  gen- 
tleman which  had  just  been  received,  Mrs.  Button  ventured 
to  ask  an  explanation,  which  was  given  by  Wycherly  with  a 
readiness  that  proved  he  felt  no  apprehensions  on  the  sub- 
ject. 

"  Sir  Wycherly  desired  to  see  his  distant  relative,  Sir 
Reginald,"  said  the  lieutenant;  "and  the  messenger  who 
was  sent  to  request  his  attendance  fortunately  learned  from 
a  postboy  that  the  Hertfordshire  baronet,  in  common  with 
many  other  gentlemen,  is  travelling  in  the  west  just  at  this 
moment;  and  that  he  slept  last  night  at  a  house  only  twenty 
miles  distant.  The  express  reached  him  several  hours  since, 
and  an  answer  has  been  received,  informing  us  that  we  may 
expect  to  see  him  in  an  hour  or  two." 

Thus  much  was  related  by  Wycherly;  but  we  may  add 
that  Sir  Reginald  Wychecombe  was  a  Catholic,  as  it  was 
then  usual  to  term  the  Romanists,  and  in  secret  a  Jacobite; 
and,  in  common  with  many  of  that  religious  persuasion,  he 
was  down  in  the  west  to  see  if  a  rising  could  not  be  organ- 
ized in  that  part  of  the  kingdom,  as  a  diversion  to  any  at- 
tempt to  repel  the  young  Pretender  in  the  north.  As  the 
utmost  caution  was  used  by  the  conspirators,  this  fact  was 
not  even  suspected  by  any  who  were  not  in  the  secret  of  the 
whole  proceeding.  Understanding  that  his  relation  was  an 
inefficient  old  man.  Sir  Reginald,  himself  an  active  and 
sagacious  intriguer,  had  approached  thus  near  to  the  old 
paternal  residence  of  his  family,  in  order  to  ascertain  if  his 
own  name  and  descent  might  not  aid  him  in  obtaining  levies 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  1 99 

among  the  ancient  tenantry  of  the  estate.  That  day  he  had 
actually  intended  to  appear  at  Wychecombe,  disguised  and 
under  an  assumed  name.  He  proposed  venturing  on  this 
step  because  circumstances  put  it  in  his  power  to  give  what 
he  thought  would  be  received  as  a  sufficient  excuse,  should 
his  conduct  excite  comment. 

Sir  Reginald  Wychecombe  was  a  singular  but  by  no  means 
an  unnatural  compound  of  management  and  integrity.  His 
position  as  a  Papist  had  disposed  him  to  intrigue,  while  his 
position  as  one  proscribed  by  religious  hostility  had  dis- 
posed him  to  be  a  Papist.  Thousands  are  made  men  of 
activity,  and  even  of  importance,  by  persecution  and  pro- 
scription, who  would  pass  through  life  quietly  and  unnoticed, 
if  the  meddling  hand  of  human  forethought  did  not  force 
them  into  situations  that  awaken  their  hostility  and  quicken 
their  powers.  This  gentleman  was  a  firm  believer  in  all  the 
traditions  of  his  church,  though  his  learning  extended  little 
beyond  his  missal ;  and  he  put  the  most  implicit  reliance  on 
the  absurd  because  improbable  fiction  of  the  Nag's  Head 
consecration,  without  having  even  deemed  it  necessary  to 
look  into  a  particle  of  that  testimony  by  which  alone  such  a 
controversy  could  be  decided.  In  a  word,  he  was  an  in- 
stance of  what  religious  intolerance  has  ever  done,  and  will 
probably  forever  continue  to  do,  with  so  wayward  a  being 
as  man. 

Apart  from  this  weakness.  Sir  Reginald  Wychecombe  had 
both  a  shrewd  and  an  inquiring  mind.  His  religion  he  left 
very  much  to  the  priests;  but  of  his  temporal  affairs  he  as- 
sumed a  careful  and  prudent  supervision.  He  was  much 
richer  than  the  head  of  the  family;  but,  while  he  had  no 
meannesses  connected  with  money,  he  had  no  objection  to 
be  the  possessor  of  the  old  family  estates.  Of  his  own  re- 
lation to  the  head  of  this  family  he  was  perfectly  aware,  and 
the  circumstance  of  the  half-blood,  with  all  its  legal  conse- 
quences, was  no  secret  to  him.  Sir  Reginald  Wychecombe 
was  not  a  man  to  be  so  situated,  without  having  recourse  to 


200  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

all  proper  means,  in  order,  as  it  has  become  the  fashion  of 
the  day  to  express  it,  "to  define  his  position."  By  means 
of  a  shrewd  attorney,  if  not  of  his  own  religious  at  least  of 
his  own  political  opinions,  he  had  ascertained  the  fact,  and 
this  from  the  mouth  of  Martha  herself,  that  Baron  Wyche- 
combe  had  never  married ;  and  that,  consequently,  Tom  and 
his  brothers  were  no  more  heirs  at  law  to  the  Wychecombe 
estate  than  he  was  in  his  own  person.  He  fully  under- 
stood, too,  that  there  was  no  heir  at  law;  and  that  the  lands 
must  escheat,  unless  the  present  owner  made  a  will ;  and  to 
this  last  act  his  precise  information  told  him  that  Sir 
Wycherly  had  an  unconquerable  reluctance.  Under  such 
circumstances,  it  is  not  at  all  surprising  that,  when  the  Hert- 
fordshire baronet  was  thus  unexpectedly  summoned  to  the 
bedside  of  his  distant  kinsman,  he  inferred  that  his  own 
claims  were  at  length  to  be  tardily  acknowledged,  and  that 
he  was  about  to  be  put  in  possession  of  the  estates  of  his 
legitimate  ancestors.  It  is  still  less  wonderful  that,  believ- 
ing this,  he  promptly  promised  to  lose  no  time  in  obeying 
the  summons,  determining  momentarily  to  forget  his  politi- 
cal in  order  to  look  a  little  after  his  personal  interests. 

The  reader  will  understand,  of  course,  that  all  these  de- 
tails were  unknown  to  the  inmates  of  the  Hall,  beyond  the 
fact  of  the  expected  arrival  of  Sir  Reginald  Wychecombe, 
and  that  of  the  circumstance  of  the  half-blood ;  which  in  its 
true  bearing  was  known  alone  to  Tom.  Their  thoughts  were 
directed  toward  the  situation  of  their  host,  and  little  was 
said  or  done  that  had  not  his  immediate  condition  for  the 
object.  It  being  understood,  however,  that  the  surgeons 
kept  the  sick  chamber  closed  against  all  visitors,  a  silent 
and  melancholy  breakfast  was  taken  by  the  whole  party,  in 
waiting  for  the  moment  when  they  might  be  admitted. 
When  this  cheerless  meal  was  ended,  Sir  Gervaise  desired 
Bluewater  to  follow  him  to  his  room,  whither  he  led  the  way 
in  person. 

"  It  is  possible,   certainly,  that  Vervillin   is   out,"  com- 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  20I 

menced  the  vice-admiral,  when  they  were  alone ;  "  but  we 
shall  know  more  about  it  when  the  cutter  gets  in  and  re- 
ports. You  saw  nothing  but  her  number,  I  think  you  told 
me?" 

"  She  was  at  work  with  private  signals,  when  I  left  the 
headland ;  of  course  I  was  unable  to  read  them  without  the 
book." 

"  That  Vervillin  is  a  good  fellow,"  returned  Sir  Gervaise, 
rubbing  his  hands,  a  way  he  had  when  much  pleased;  "  and 
has  stuff  in  him.  He  has  thirteen  two-decked  ships,  Dick, 
and  that  will  be  one  apiece  for  our  captains,  and  a  spare  one 
for  each  of  our  flags.  I  believe  there  is  no  three-decker  in 
that  squadron?" 

"There  you've  made  a  small  mistake,  Sir  Gervaise,  as 
the  Comte  de  Vervillin  had  his  flag  in  the  largest  three- 
decker  of  France;  Le  Bourbon  120.  The  rest  of  his  ships 
are  like  our  own,  though  much  fuller  manned." 

"  Never  mind.  Blue — never  mind : — we'll  put  two  on  the 
Bourbon,  and  try  to  make  our  frigates  of  use.  Besides,  you 
have  a  knack  at  keeping  the  fleet  so  compact  that  it  is 
nearly  a  single  battery." 

"  May  I  venture  to  ask,  then,  if  it's  your  intention  to  go 
out,  should  the  news  by  the  Active  prove  to  be  what  you 
anticipate?" 

Sir  Gervaise  cast  a  quick,  distrustful  glance  at  the  other, 
anxious  to  read  the  motive  for  the  question,  at  the  same 
time  that  he  did  not  wish  to  betray  his  own  feelings;  then 
he  appeared  to  meditate  on  the  answer. 

"  It  is  not  quite  agreeable  to  lie  here,  chafing  our  cables, 
with  a  French  squadron  roving  the  Channel,"  he  said;  "  but 
I  rather  think  it's  my  duty  to  wait  for  orders  from  the  Admi- 
ralty, under  present  circumstances." 

"Do  you  expect  my  lords  will  send  you  through  the 
Straits  of  Dover,  to  blockade  the  Frith?" 

"  If  they  do,  Bluewater,  I  shall  hope  for  your  company. 
I  trust  a  night's  rest  has  given  you  different  views  of  what 


202  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

ought  to  be  a  seaman's  duty,  when  his  country  is  at  open 
war  with  her  ancient  and  most  powerful  enemies." 

"  It  is  the  prerogative  of  the  crown  to  declare  war,  Oakes. 
No  one  but  a  lawful  sow exQi^n  can  make  a  lauful  yizx." 

"  Ay,  here  come  your  cursed  distinctions  about  de  jure 
and  de  facto  again.  By  the  way,  Dick,  you  are  something  of 
a  scholar — can  you  tell  me  what  is  understood  by  calling  a 
man  a  nuUus  ?  " 

Admiral  Bluewater,  who  had  taken  his  usual  lolling  atti- 
tude in  the  most  comfortable  chair  he  could  find,  while  his 
more  mercurial  friend  kept  pacing  the  room,  now  raised  his 
head  in  surprise,  following  the  quick  motions  of  the  other 
with  his  eyes,  as  if  he  doubted  whether  he  had  rightly  heard 
the  question. 

"  It's  plain  English,  is  it  not? — or  plain  Latin,  if  you  will 
— what  is  meant  by  calling  a  man  a  7mllusV  repeated  Sir 
Gervaise,  observing  the  other's  manner. 

"  The  Latin  is  plain  enough,  certainly,"  returned  Blue- 
water,  smiling;  "you  surely  do  not  mean  nullus^  ftulla, 
nullum  ?  " 

"  Exactly  that — you've  hit  it  to  a  gender. — Nullus,  nulla, 
nullum.  No  man,  no  woman,  no  thing.  Masculine,  femi- 
nine, neuter." 

"  I  never  heard  the  saying.  If  ever  used,  it  must  be  some 
silly  play  on  sounds,  and  mean  a  numskull — or,  perhaps,  a 
fling  at  a  fellow's  position,  by  saying  he  is  a '  nobody.'  Who 
the  deuce  has  been  calling  another  a  fiullus  in  the  presence 
of  the  commander-in-chief  of  the  southern  squadron  ?" 

"Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe — our  unfortunate  host,  here: 
the  poor  man  who  is  on  his  death-bed  on  this  very  floor." 

Again  Bluewater  raised  his  head,  and  once  more  his  eye 
sought  the  face  of  his  friend.  Sir  Gervaise  had  now  stopped 
short,  with  his  hands  crossed  behind  his  back,  looking 
intently  at  the  other,  in  expectation  of  the  answer. 

"  I  thought  it  might  be  some  difficulty  from  the  fleet — 
some  silly  fellow  complaining  of  another  still  more  silly  foi 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  203 

using  such  a  word.  Sir  Wycherly! — the  poor  man's  mind 
must  have  failed  him." 

"I  rather  think  not;  if  it  has,  there  is  '  method  in  his 
madness,'  for  he  persevered  most  surprisingly  in  the  use  of 
the  term.  His  nephew,  Tom  Wychecombe,  the  presumptive 
heir,  he  insists  on  it,  is  a  nidliis ;  while  this  Sir  Reginald, 
who  is  expected  to  arrive  every  instant,  he  says  is  only  half 
— or  '\\2\i-bIood^  as  it  has  since  been  explained  to  us." 

"  I  am  afraid  this  nephew  will  prove  to  be  anything  but 
millus^  when  he  succeeds  to  the  estate  and  title,"  answered 
Bluewater  gravely.  "  A  more  sinister-looking  scoundrel  I 
never  laid  eyes  on." 

"That  is  just  my  way  of  thinking;  and  not  in  the  least 
like  the  family." 

"This  matter  of  likenesses  is  not  easily  explained,  Oakes. 
We  see  parents  and  children  without  any  visible  resem- 
blance to  each  other;  and  then  we  find  startling  likenesses 
between  utter  strangers." 

"  Bachelor's  childreii  may  be  in  that  predicament,  certainly; 
but  I  should  think  few  others.  I  never  yet  studied  a  child 
that  I  did  not  find  some  resemblance  to  both  parents;  cov- 
ert and  only  transitory  perhaps,  but  a  likeness  so  distinct  as 
to  establish  the  relationship.  What  an  accursed  chance  it  is 
that  our  noble  young  lieutenant  should  have  no  claim  on  this 
old  baronet;  while  this  d — d  ?mllus  is  both  heir  at  law 
and  heir  of  entail !  I  never  took  half  as  much  interest  in 
any  other  man's  estate  as  I  take  in  the  succession  to  this  of 
our  poor  host!" 

"There  you  are  mistaken,  Oakes;  you  took  more  in  mine ; 
for  when  I  made  a  will  in  your  own  favor  and  gave  it  to  you 
to  read,  you  tore  it  in  two  and  threw  it  overboard,  with  your 
own  hand." 

"  Ay,  that  was  an  act  of  lawful  authority.  As  your  supe- 
rior, I  countermanded  that  will !  I  hope  you've  made  an- 
other, and  given  your  money,  as  I  told  you,  to  your  cousin, 
the  Viscount." 


204  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"  I  did,  but  that  will  has  shared  the  fate  of  the  first.  It 
appearing  to  me  that  we  are  touching  on  serious  times,  and 
Bluewater  being  rich  already,  I  destroyed  the  devise  in  his 
favor,  and  made  a  ne^v  one  this  very  morning.  As  you  are 
my  executor,  as  usual,  it  may  be  well  to  let  you  know  it." 

"  Dick,  you  have  not  been  mad  enough  to  cut  off  the  head 
of  your  own  family — your  own  flesh  and  blood,  as  it  might 
be — to  leave  the  few  thousands  you  own  to  this  mad  adven- 
turer in  Scotland!" 

Bluewater  smiled  at  this  evidence  of  the  familiarity  of 
his  friend  with  his  own  way  of  thinking  and  feeling;  and 
for  a  single  instant  he  regretted  that  he  had  not  put  his  first 
intention  in  force,  in  order  that  the  conformity  of  views 
might  have  been  still  more  perfect;  but,  putting  a  hand  in 
his  pocket,  he  drew  out  the  document  itself,  and,  leaning 
forward,  gave  it  carelessly  to  Sir  Gervaise. 

"  There  is  the  will;  and  by  looking  it  over  you  will  know 
what  I've  done,"  he  said.  "  I  wish  you  would  keep  it;  for 
if  '  misery  makes  us  acquainted  with  strange  bedfellows,' 
revolutions  reduce  us  often  to  strange  plights,  and  the  paper 
will  be  safer  with  you  than  with  me.  Of  course  you  will 
keep  my  secret,  until  the  proper  time  to  reveal  it  shall 
arrive." 

The  vice-admiral,  who  knew  that  he  had  no  direct  interest 
in  his  friend's  disposition  of  his  property,  took  the  will  with 
a  good  deal  of  curiosity  to  ascertain  its  provisions.  So 
short  a  testament  was  soon  read ;  and  his  eye  rested  intently 
on  the  paper  until  it  had  taken  in  the  last  word.  Then  his 
hand  dropped,  and  he  regarded  Bluewater  with  a  surprise  he 
neither  affected  nor  wished  to  conceal.  He  did  not  doubt 
his  friend's  sanity,  but  he  greatly  questioned  his  discretion. 

"  This  is  a  very  simple  but  a  very  ingenious  arrangement 
to  disturb  the  order  of  society,"  he  said,  "  and  to  convert  a 
very  modest  and  unpretending,  though  lovely  girl,  into  a 
forward  and  airs-taking  old  woman!  What  is  this  Mildred 
Button  to  you,  that  you  should  bequeath  to  her  ^^30,000?" 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  205 

*•  She  is  one  of  the  meekest,  most  ingenuous,  purest,  and 
loveliest  of  her  meek,  ingenuous,  pure,  and  lovely  sex, 
crushed  to  the  earth  by  the  curse  of  a  brutal,  drunken  father ; 
and  I  am  resolute  to  see  that  this  world,  for  once,  afford 
some  compensation  for  its  own  miseries." 

"Never  doubt  that,  Richard  Bluewater;  never  doubt  that. 
So  certain  is  vice  or  crime  to  bring  its  own  punishment  in 
this  life,  that  one  may  well  question  if  any  other  hell  is 
needed.  And,  depend  on  it,  your  meek,  modest  ingenuous- 
ness, in  its  turn,  will  not  go  unrewarded." 

"  Quite  true,  so  far  as  the  spirit  is  concerned ;  but  I  mean 
to  provide  a  little  for  the  comfort  of  the  body.  You  remem- 
ber Agnes  Hedworth,  I  take  it  for  granted?" 

"Remember  her! — out  of  all  question.  Had  the  war  left 
me  leisure  for  making  love,  she  was  the  only  woman  I  ever 
knew  who  could  have  brought  me  to  her  feet — I  mean  as  a 
dog,  Dick." 

"  Do  you  see  any  resemblance  between  her  and  this  Mil- 
dred Dutton?  It  is  in  the  expression  rather  than  in  the 
features — but  it  is  the  expression  which  alone  denotes  the 
character." 

"By  George,  you're  right,  Bluewater;  and  this  relieves 
me  from  some  embarrassment  I've  felt  about  that  very  ex- 
pression of  which  you  speak.  She  is  like  poor  Agnes,  who 
became  a  saint  earlier  than  any  of  us  could  have  wished. 
Living  or  dead,  Agnes  Hedworth  must  be  an  angel!  You 
were  fonder  of  her  than  of  any  other  woman,  I  believe.  At 
one  time  I  thought  you  might  propose  for  her  hand." 

"  It  was  not  that  sort  of  affection,  and  you  could  not  have 
known  her  private  history,  or  you  would  not  have  fancied 
this.  I  was  so  situated  in  the  way  of  relatives  that  Agnes, 
though  only  the  child  of  a  cousin-german,  was  the  nearest 
youthful  female  relative  I  had  on  earth ;  and  I  regarded 
her  more  as  a  sister  than  as  a  creature  who  could  ever  be- 
come my  wife.  She  was  sixteen  years  my  junior ;  and  by  the 
time  she  had  become  old  enough  to  marry,  I  was  accustomed 


206  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

to  think  of  her  only  as  one  destined  for  another  station. 
The  same  feeling  existed  as  to  her  sister,  the  Duchess, 
though  in  a  greatly  lessened  degree." 

"Poor,  sweet  Agnes! — and  it  is  on  account  of  this  acci- 
dental resemblance  that  you  have  determined  to  make  the 
daughter  of  a  drunken  sailing-master  your  heiress?" 

"Not  altogether  so;  the  will  was  drawn  before  I  was  con- 
scious that  the  likeness  existed.  Still  it  has  probably,  un- 
known to  myself,  greatly  disposed  me  to  view  her  with 
favor.  But,  Gervaise,  Agnes  herself  was  not  fairer  in  per- 
son or  more  lovely  in  mind  than  this  very  Mildred  Button." 

"  Well,  you  have  not  been  accustomed  to  regard  her  as 
a  sister;  and  she  has  become  marriageable,  without  there 
having  been  any  opportunity  for  your  regarding  her  as  so 
peculiarly  sacred,  Dick!"  returned  Sir  Gervaise,  half  sup- 
pressing a  smile,  as  he  threw  a  quiet  glance  at  his  friend. 

"  You  know  this  to  be  idle,  Oakes.  Some  one  must  in- 
herit my  money;  my  brother  is  long  since  dead;  even  poor, 
poor  Agnes  is  gone;  her  sister  don't  need  it;  Bluewater  is 
an  over-rich  bachelor  already ;  you  won't  take  it,  and  what 
better  can  I  do  with  it.**  If  you  could  have  seen  the  cruel 
manner  in  which  the  spirits  of  both  mother  and  daughter 
were  crushed  to  the  earth  last  night,  by  that  beast  of  a  hus- 
band and  father,  you  would  have  felt  a  desire  to  relieve  their 
misery,  even  though  it  had  cost  you  Bowldero,  and  half  your 
money  in  the  funds." 

"  Umph !  Bowldero  has  been  in  my  family  five  centuries, 
and  is  likely  to  remain  there.  Master  Bluewater,  five  more; 
unless,  indeed,  your  dashing  Pretender  should  succeed,  and 
take  it  away  by  confiscation." 

"There,  again,  was  another  inducement.  Should  I  leave 
my  cash  to  a  rich  person,  and  should  chance  put  me  on  the 
wrong  side  in  this  struggle,  the  king,  defacto^  would  get  it 
all;  whereas,  even  a  German  would  not  have  the  heart  to 
rob  a  poor  creature  like  Mildred  of  her  support." 

"  The  Scotch  are  notorious  for  bowels,  in  such  matters ! 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  20/ 

Well,  have  it  your  own  way,  Dick.  It's  of  no  great  moment 
what  you  do  with  your  prize-money ;  though  I  had  supposed 
it  would  fall  into  the  hands  of  this  boy,  Geoffrey  Cleveland, 
who  is  no  discredit  to  your  blood." 

"  He  will  have  a  hundred  thousand  pounds,  at  five-and- 
twenty,  that  were  left  him  by  old  Lady  Greenfield,  his  great- 
aunt,  and  that  is  more  than  he  will  know  what  to  do  with. 
But  enough  of  this.  Have  you  received  further  tidings  from 
the  north,  during  the  night?" 

"Not  a  syllable.  This  is  a  retired  part  of  the  country; 
and  half  Scotland  might  be  capsized  in  one  of  its  loughs, 
and  we  not  know  of  it,  for  a  week,  down  here  in  Devonshire. 
Should  I  get  no  intelligence  or  orders,  in  the  next  thirty-six 
hours,  I  think  of  posting  up  to  London,  leaving  you  in  com- 
mand of  the  fleet." 

"  That  may  not  be  wise.  You  would  scarcely  confide  so 
important  a  trust,  in  such  a  crisis,  to  a  man  of  my  political 
feelings — I  will  not  say  opinions ;  since  you  attribute  all  to 
sentiment." 

"  I  would  confide  my  life  and  honor  to  you,  Richard  Blue- 
water,  with  the  utmost  confidence  in  the  security  of  both,  so 
long  as  it  depended  on  your  own  acts  or  inclinations.  We 
must  first  see,  however,  what  news  the  Active  brings  us;  for 
if  de  Vervillin  is  really  out,  I  shall  assume  that  the  duty  of 
an  English  sailor  is  to  beat  a  Frenchman,  before  all  other 
considerations." 

"  If  he  ca7i^^  drily  observed  the  other,  raising  his  right  leg 
so  high  as  to  place  the  foot  on  the  top  of  an  old-fashioned 
chair;  an  effort  that  nearly  brought  his  back  in  a  horizontal 
line. 

"  I  am  far  from  regarding  it  as  a  matter  of  course.  Admi- 
ral Bluewater;  but  it  has  been  done  sufficiently  often  to 
render  it  an  event  of  no  very  v\o\&xiX,  possibility.  Ah,  here  is 
Magrath  to  tell  us  the  condition  of  his  patient." 

The  surgeon  of  the  Plantagenet  entering  the  room  at  that 
moment,  the  conversation  was  instantly  changed. 


208  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"Well,  Magrath,"  said  Sir  Gervaise,  stopping  suddenly  in 
his  quarter-deck  pace,  "what  news  of  the  poor  man?" 

"  He  is  reviving.  Admiral  Oakes,"  returned  the  phleg- 
matic surgeon ;  "  but  it  is  like  the  gleaming  of  sunshine  that 
streams  through  clouds,  as  the  great  luminary  sets  behind 
the  hills " 

"Oh!  hang  your  poetry,  doctor;  let  us  have  nothing  but 
plain  matter-of-fact,  this  morning." 

"  Well,  then.  Sir  Gervaise,  as  commander-in-chief,  you'll 
be  obeyed,  I  think.  Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe  is  suffering 
under  an  attack  of  apoplexy — or  a-u-X7j'=t^,  as  the  Greeks 
had  it.  The  diagnosis  of  the  disease  is  not  easily  mistak- 
en, though  it  has  its  affinities  as  well  as  other  maladies. 
The  applications  for  gout,  or  arthritis — sometimes  produce 
apoplexy;  though  one  disease  is  seated  in  the  head,  while 
the  other  usually  takes  refuge  in  the  feet.  Ye'U  understand 
this  the  more  readily,  gentlemen,  when  ye  reflect  that  as  a 
thief  is  chased  from  one  hiding-place,  he  commonly  endeav- 
ors to  get  into  another.  I  much  misgive  the  prudence  of 
the  phlebotomy  ye  practised  among  ye,  on  the  first  summons 
to  the  patient." 

"What  the  d — 1  does  the  man  mean  by  phlebotomy?" 
exclaimed  Sir  Gervaise,  who  had  an  aversion  to  medicine, 
and  knew  scarcely  any  of  the  commonest  terms  of  practice, 
though  expert  in  bleeding. 

"  I'm  thinking  it's  what  you  and  Admiral  Bluewater  so 
freely  administer  to  His  Majesty's  enemies,  whenever  ye 

fall  in  with  'em  at  sea; — he-he-he "  answered  Magrath, 

chuckling  at  his  own  humor;  which,  as  the  quantity  was 
small,  was  all  the  better  in  quality. 

"Surely  he  does  not  mean  powder  and  shot!  We  give 
the  French  shot;   Sir  Wycherly  has  not  been  shot?" 

"  Varra  true.  Sir  Gervaise,  but  ye've  let  him  blood,  amang 
ye :  a  measure  that  has  been  somewhat  preceepitately  prac- 
tised, I've  my  misgivings." 

"Now,  any  old  woman  can  tell  us  better  than  that,  doctor. 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  2O9 

Blood-letting  is  the  every-day  remedy  for  attacks  of  this 
sort." 

"  I  do  not  dispute  the  dogmas  of  elderly  persons  of  the 
other  sex,  Sir  Gervaise,  or  your  every-day  remedia.  If 
'every-day'  doctors  would  save  life  and  alleviate  pain,  di- 
plomas would  be  unnecessary;  and  we  might,  all  of  us, 
practise  on  the  principle  of  the  '  de'el  tak'  the  hindmaist,' 
as  ye  did  yoursel',  Sir  Gervaise,  when  ye  cut  and  slash'd 
amang  the  Dons,  in  boarding  El  Lirio.  I  was  there,  ye'll 
both  remember,  gentlemen ;  and  was  obleeged  to  sew  up  the 
gashes  ye  made  with  your  own  irreverent  and  ungodly 
hands." 

This  speech  referred  to  one  of  the  most  desperate  hand- 
to-hand  struggles  in  which  the  two  flag-officers  had  ever 
been  engaged ;  and,  as  it  afforded  them  the  means  of  exhib- 
iting their  personal  gallantry,  when  quite  young  men,  both 
usually  looked  back  upon  the  exploit  with  great  self-com- 
placency; Sir  Gervaise  in  particular,  his  friend  having  of- 
ten declared  since  that  they  ought  to  have  been  laid  on  the 
shelf  for  life,  as  a  punishment  for  risking  their  men  in  so 
mad  an  enterprise,  though  it  did  prove  to  be  brilliantly 
successful. 

"  That  was  an  affair  in  which  one  might  engage  at  twenty- 
two,  Magrath,"  observed  Bluewater;  "  but  which  he  ought  to 
hesitate  about  thinking  of  even,  after  thirty." 

*'  I'd  do  it  again,  this  blessed  day,  if  you  would  give  us  a 
chance!"  exclaimed  Sir  Gervaise,  striking  the  back  of  one 
hand  into  the  palm  of  the  other,  with  a  sudden  energy,  that 
showed  how  much  he  was  excited  by  the  mere  recollection 
of  the  scene. 

"  That  w'ud  ye! — that  w'ud  ye!"  said  Magrath,  growing 
more  and  more  Scotch,  as  he  warmed  in  the  discourse; 
"  ye'd  board  a  mackerel-hoy,  rather  than  not  have  an  engage- 
ment. Ye'r  a  varra  capital  vice-admiral  of  the  red,  Sir 
Gervaise,  but  I'm  judging  ye'd  mak'  a  varra  indeeferent 
loblolly-boy." 
14. 


2IO  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"  Bluewater,  I  shall  be  compelled  to  change  ships  with 
you,  in  order  to  get  rid  of  the  old  standbys  of  the  Planta- 
genets!  They  stick  to  me  like  leeches;  and  have  got  to  be 
so  familiar  that  they  criticise  all  my  orders,  and  don't  more 
than  half  obey  them,  in  the  bargain." 

"No  one  will  criticise  your  nautical  commands,  Sir  Ger- 
vaise;  though,  in  the  way  of  the  healing  airt-  science, 
it  should  be  called — ye're  no  mair  to  be  trusted  than 
one  of  the  young  gentlemen.  I'm  told  ye  drew  ye'r  lancet 
on  this  poor  gentleman,  as  ye'd  draw  ye'r  sword  on  an 
enemy!" 

"I  did,  indeed,  sir;  though  Mr.  Rotherham  had  rendered 
the  application  of  the  instrument  unnecessary.  Apoplexy  is 
a  rushing  of  the  blood  to  the  head;  and  by  diminishing  the 
quantity  in  the  veins  of  the  arms  or  temples,  you  lessen  the 
pressure  on  the  brain." 

"  Just  layman's  practice,  sir — just  layman's  practice.  Will 
ye  tell  me  now  if  the  patient's  face  was  red  or  white? 
Everything  depends  on  t/iat;  which  is  the  true  diagnosis  of 
the  malady" 

"Red,  I  think;  was  it  not,  Bluewater?  Red,  like  old 
port,  of  which  I  fancy  the  poor  man  had  more  than  his 
share." 

"  Weel,  in  that  case,  you  were  not  so  varra  wrong ;  but 
they  tell  me  his  countenance  was  pallid  and  deathlike;  in 
which  case  ye  came  near  to  committing  murder.  There  is 
one  principle  that  controls  the  diagnosis  of  all  cases  of  apo- 
plexy among  ye'r  true  country  gentlemen — and  that  is,  that 
the  system  is  reduced  and  enfeebled,  by  habitual  devotion 
to  the  decanter.  In  such  attacks  ye  canna'  do  wars®  than 
to  let  blood.  But  I'll  no  be  hard  upon  you.  Sir  Gervaise; 
and  so  we'll  drop  the  subject — though,  truth  to  say,  I  do 
not  admire  your  poaching  on  my  manor.  Sir  Wycherly  is 
materially  better,  and  expresses,  as  well  as  a  man  who  has 
not  the  use  of  his  tongue,  can  express  a  thing,  his  besetting 
desire  to  make  his  last  will  and  testament.     In  ordinary 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  211 

cases  of  apoplexia^  it  is  good  practice  to  oppose  this  craving; 
though,  as  it  is  my  firm  opinion  that  nothing  can  save  the 
patient's  life,  I  do  not  set  myself  against  the  measure,  in 
this  particular  case.  Thar'  was  a  curious  discussion  at 
Edinbro',  in  my  youth,  gentlemen,  on  the  question  whether 
the  considerations  connected  with  the  disposition  of  the 
property,  or  the  considerations  connected  with  the  patient's 
health,  ought  to  preponderate  in  the  physician's  mind,  when 
it  might  be  reasonably  doubted  whether  the  act  of  making  a 
will  would  or  would  not  essentially  affect  the  nervous  sys- 
tem, and  otherwise  derange  the  functions  of  the  body.  A 
very  pretty  argument,  in  excellent  Edinbro'  Latin,  was  made 
on  each  side  of  the  question.  I  think,  on  the  whole,  the 
physicos  had  the  best  o'  it;  for  they  could  show  a  plausible 
present  evil,  as  opposed  to  a  possible  remote  good." 

"Has  Sir  Wycherly  mentioned  my  name  this  morning?" 
asked  the  vice-admiral,  with  interest. 

"He  has,  indeed.  Sir  Gervaise;  and  that  in  a  way  so 
manifestly  connected  with  his  will  that  I'm  opining  ye'll 
no  be  forgotten  in  the  legacies.  The  name  of  Bluewater 
was  in  his  mouth,  also." 

"  In  which  case  no  time  should  be  lost;  for  never  before 
have  I  felt  half  the  interest  in  the  disposition  of  a  stranger's 
estate.  Hark!  Are  not  those  wheels  rattling  in  the  court- 
yard?" 

"  Ye'r  senses  are  most  pairfect,  Sir  Gervaise,  and  that  I've 
always  said  was  one  reason  why  ye'r  so  great  an  admiral," 
returned  Magrath.  "Mind,  only  onc^  Sir  Gervaise;  for 
many  qualities  united  are  necessary  to  make  a  truly  great 
man.  I  see  a  middle-aged  gentleman  alighting,  and  ser- 
vants around  him,  who  wear  the  same  liveries  as  those  of 
this  house.  Some  relative,  no  doubt,  come  to  look  after  the 
legacies,  also." 

"This  must  be  Sir  Reginald  Wychecombe;  it  may  not  be 
amiss  if  we  go  forward  to  receive  him,  Bluewater." 

At  this  suggestion,  the  rear-admiral    drew   in  his  legs, 


212  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

which  had  not  changed  their  position  on  account  of  the 
presence  of  the  surgeon,  arose,  and  followed  Sir  Gervaise, 
as  the  latter  left  the  room. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 


*'  Videsne  quis  venit  ?  " 
"Video,  et  gaudeo. " 

Nathaniel  et  Holofernes. 

Tom  Wychecombe  had  experienced  an  uneasiness  that  it  is 
unnecessary  to  explain,  ever  since  he  learned  that  his  re- 
puted uncle  had  sent  a  messenger  to  bring  the  "  half-blood" 
to  the  Hall.  From  the  moment  he  got  a  clew  to  the  fact,  he 
took  sufficient  pains  to  ascertain  what  was  in  the  wind;  and 
when  Sir  Reginald  Wychecombe  entered  the  house,  the  first 
person  he  met  was  this  spurious  supporter  of  the  honors  of 
his  name. 

"  Sir  Reginald  Wychecombe,  I  presume,  from  the  arms 
and  the  liveries,"  said  Tom,  endeavoring  to  assume  the 
manner  of  a  host.  "  It  is  grateful  to  find  that,  though  we 
are  separated  by  quite  two  centuries,  all  the  usages  and  the 
bearings  of  the  family  are  equally  preserved  and  respected 
by  both  its  branches." 

"  I  am  Sir  Reginald  Wychecombe,  sir,  and  endeavor  not 
to  forget  the  honorable  ancestry  from  which  I  am  derived. 
May  I  ask  what  kinsman  I  have  the  pleasure  now  to 
meet?" 

"  Mr.  Thomas  Wychecombe,  sir,  at  your  command ;  the 
eldest  son  of  Sir  Wycherly's  next  brother,  the  late  Mr.  Baron 
Wychecombe.  I  trust.  Sir  Reginald,  you  have  not  consid- 
ered us  as  so  far  removed  in  blood  as  to  have  entirely  over- 
looked our  births,  marriages,  and  deaths." 

"  I  have  ?iot,  sir,"  returned  the  baronet  drily,  and  with  an 
emphasis  that  disturbed  his  listener,  though  the  cold,  Jesu- 
itical smile  that  accompanied  the  words  had  the  effect  to 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  213 

calm  his  vivid  apprehensions.  ^^  All  that  relates  to  the 
house  of  Wychecombe  has  interest  in  my  eyes ;  and  I  have 
endeavored,  successfully  I  trust,  to  ascertain  all  that  relates 
to  its  births,  marriages,  and  deaths.  I  greatly  regret  that 
the  second  time  I  enter  this  venerable  dwelling  should  be 
on  an  occasion  as  melancholy  as  this  on  which  I  am  now 
summoned.  How  is  your  respectable — how  is  Sir  Wycherly 
Wychecombe,  I  wish  to  say?" 

There  was  sufficient  in  this  answer,  taken  in  connection 
with  the  deliberate,  guarded,  and  yet  expressive  manner  of 
the  speaker,  to  make  Tom  extremely  uncomfortable,  though 
there  was  also  sufficient  to  leave  him  in  doubts  as  to  his 
namesake's  true  meaning.  The  words  emphasized  by  the 
latter  were  touched  lightly,  though  distinctly;  and  the  cold, 
artificial  smile  with  which  they  were  uttered  completely 
baffled  the  sagacity  of  a  rogue  as  commonplace  as  the  heir- 
expectant.  Then  the  sudden  change  in  the  construction  of 
the  last  sentence,  and  the  substitution  of  the  name  of  the 
person  mentioned,  for  the  degree  of  affinity  in  which  he  was 
supposed  to  stand  to  Tom,  might  be  merely  a  rigid  observ- 
ance of  the  best  tone  of  society,  or  it  might  be  equivocal. 
All  these  little  distinctions  gleamed  across  the  mind  of 
Tom  Wychecombe;  but  that  was  not  the  moment  to  pursue 
the  investigation.  Courtesy  required  that  he  should  make 
an  immediate  answer,  which  he  succeeded  in  doing  steadily 
enough  as  to  general  appearances,  though  his  sagacious  and 
practised  questioner  perceived  that  his  words  had  not  failed 
of  producing  the  impression  he  intended ;  for  he  had  looked 
to  their  establishing  a  species  of  authority  over  the  young 
man. 

"  My  honored  and  beloved  uncle  has  revived  a  little,  they 
tell  me,"  said  Tom ;  "  but  I  fear  these  appearances  are  de- 
lusive. After  eighty-four,  death  has  a  fearful  hold  upon  us, 
sir!  The  worst  of  it  is,  that  my  poor,  dear  uncle's  mind  is 
sensibly  affected;  and  it  is  quite  impossible  to  get  at  any  of 
his  little  wishes,  in  the  way  of  memorials  and  messages " 


214  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"  How  then,  sir,  came  Sir  Wycherly  to  honor  me  with  a 
request  to  visit  him?"  demanded  the  other,  with  an  extremely 
awkward  pertinency. 

"  I  suppose,  sir,  he  has  succeeded  in  muttering  your  name, 
and  that  a  natural  construction  has  been  put  on  its  use,  at 
such  a  moment.  His  will  has  been  made  some  time,  I  un- 
derstand; though  I  am  ignorant  of  even  the  name  of  the  ex- 
ecutor, as  it  is  closed  in  an  envelope,  and  sealed  with  Sir 
Wycherly's  arms.  It  cannot  be,  then,  on  account  of  a  willy 
that  he  has  wished  to  see  you.  I  rather  think,  as  the  next 
of  the  family,  out  of  the  direct  line  of  successio7i,  he  may  have 
ventured  to  name  you  as  the  executor  of  the  will  in  exist- 
ence, and  has  thought  it  proper  to  notify  you  of  the  same." 

"Yes,  sir,"  returned  Sir  Reginald,  in  his  usual  cold,  wary 
manner;  "though  it  would  have  been  more  in  conformity 
with  usage  had  the  notification  taken  the  form  of  a  request 
to  serve,  previously  to  making  the  testament.  My  letter 
was  signed  *  Gervaise  Oakes,'  and,  as  they  tell  me  a  fleet  is 
in  the  neighborhood,  I  have  supposed  that  the  celebrated 
admiral  of  that  name  has  done  me  the  honor  to  write  it." 

"You  are  not  mistaken,  sir;  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  is  in  the 
house — ah — here  he  comes  to  receive  you,  accompanied  by 
Rear-Admiral  Bluewatei,  whom  the  sailors  call  his  main- 
mast." 

The  foregoing  conversation  had  taken  place  in  a  little 
parlor  that  led  off  from  the  great  hall,  whither  Tom  had 
conducted  his  guest,  and  in  which  the  two  admirals  now 
made  their  appearance.  Introductions  were  scarcely  neces- 
sary, the  uniform  and  star — for  in  that  age  officers  usually 
appeared  in  their  robes — the  uniform  and  star  of  Sir  Ger- 
vaise at  once  proclaiming  his  rank  and  name;  while  be- 
tween Sir  Reginald  and  Bluewater  there  existed  a  slight 
personal  acquaintance,  which  had  grown  out  of  their  covert, 
but  deep,  Jacobite  sympathies. 

"  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes,"  and  "  Sir  Reginald  Wyche- 
combe,"  passed  between  the  gentlemen,  with  a  hearty  shake 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  21$ 

of  the  hand  from  the  admiral,  which  was  met  by  a  cold 
touch  of  the  fingers  on  the  part  of  the  other,  that  might  very 
well  have  passed  for  the  great  model  of  the  sophisticated 
manipulation  of  the  modern  salute,  but  which,  in  fact,  was 
the  result  of  temperament  rather  than  of  fashion.  As  soon 
as  this  ceremony  was  gone  through,  and  a  few  brief  expres- 
sions of  courtesy  were  exchanged,  the  newcomer  turned  to 
Bluewater,  with  an  air  of  greater  freedom,  and  continued : 

"  And  you,  too.  Sir  Richard  Bluewater!  I  rejoice  to  meet 
an  acquaintance  in  this  melancholy  scene." 

"I  am  happy  to  see  you,  Sir  Reginald;  though  you  have 
conferred  on  me  a  title  to  which  I  have  no  proper  claim." 

"  No! — the  papers  tell  us  that  you  have  received  one  of 
the  lately  vacant  red  ribands?" 

"  I  believe  some  such  honor  has  been  in  contempla- 
tion  " 

"Contemplation! — I  do  assure  you,  sir,  your  name  is 
fairly  and  distinctly  gazetted — as,  by  sending  to  my  car- 
riage, it  will  be  in  my  power  to  show  you.  I  am,  then,  the 
first  to  call  you  Sir  Richard." 

"  Excuse  me.  Sir  Reginald — there  is  some  little  misap- 
prehension in  this  matter;  I  prefer  to  remain  plain  Rear- 
Admiral  Bluewater.     In  due  season,  all  will  be  explained." 

The  parties  exchanged  looks,  which,  in  times  like  those 
in  which  they  lived,  were  sufficiently  intelligible  to  both; 
and  the  conversation  was  instantly  changed.  Before  Sir 
Reginald  relinquished  the  hand  he  held,  however,  he  gave 
it  a  cordial  squeeze,  an  intimation  that  was  returned  by  a 
warm  pressure  from  Bluewater.  The  party  then  began  to 
converse  of  Sir  Wycherly,  his  actual  condition,  and  his 
probable  motive  in  desiring  to  see  his  distant  kinsman. 
This  motive.  Sir  Gervaise,  regardless  of  the  presence  of  Tom 
Wychecombe,  declared  to  be  a  wdsh  to  make  a  will ;  and,  as 
he  believed,  the  intention  of  naming  Sir  Reginald  his  exec- 
utor, if  not  in  some  still  more  interesting  capacity. 

"I  understand  Sir  Wycherly  has  a  considerable  sum  en* 


2l6  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

tirely  at  his  own  disposal,"  continued  the  vice-admiral; 
"  and  I  confess  I  like  to  see  a  man  remember  his  friends 
and  servants,  generously,  in  his  last  moments.  The  estate 
is  entailed,  I  hear;  and  I  suppose  Mr.  Thomas  Wychecombe 
here,  will  be  none  the  worse  for  that  precaution  in  his  an- 
cestor; let  the  old  gentleman  do  as  he  pleases  with  his 
savings." 

Sir  Gervaise  was  so  much  accustomed  to  command  that 
he  did  not  feel  the  singularity  of  his  own  interference  in 
the  affairs  of  a  family  of  what  might  be  called  strangers, 
though  the  circumstance  struck  Sir  Reginald  as  a  little  odd. 
Nevertheless,  the  last  had  sufficient  penetration  to  under- 
stand the  vice-admiral's  character  at  a  glance,  and  the  pecu- 
liarity made  no  lasting  impression.  When  the  allusion  was 
made  to  Tom's  succession  as  a  matter  of  course,  however,  he 
cast  a  cold,  but  withering  look  at  the  reputed  heir,  which 
almost  chilled  the  marrow  in  the  bones  of  the  jealous 
rogue. 

"  Might  I  say  a  word  to  you,  in  your  own  room.  Sir  Ger- 
vaise?" asked  Sir  Reginald,  in  an  aside.  "These  matters 
ought  not  to  be  indecently  hurried;  and  I  wish  to  under- 
stand the  ground  better,  before  I  advance." 

This  question  was  overheard  by  Bluewater;  who,  begging 
the  gentlemen  to  remain  where  they  were,  withdrew  himself, 
taking  Tom  Wychecombe  with  him.  As  soon  as  they  were 
alone,  Sir  Reginald  drew  from  his  companion,  by  questions 
warily  but  ingeniously  put,  a  history  of  all  that  had  occurred 
within  the  last  twenty-four  hours;  a  knowledge  of  the  really 
helpless  state  of  Sir  Wycherly,  and  of  the  manner  in  which 
he  himself  had  been  summoned,  included.  When  satisfied, 
he  expressed  a  desire  to  see  the  sick  man. 

"  By  the  way.  Sir  Reginald,"  said  the  vice-admiral,  with 
his  hand  on  the  lock  of  the  door,  arresting  his  own  move- 
ment to  put  the  question ;  "  I  see,  by  your  manner  of  express- 
ing yourself,  that  the  law  has  not  been  entirely  overlooked 
in  your  education.     Do  you   happen  to  know  what  *  half- 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  21/ 

blood'  means?  It  is  either  a  medical  or  a  legal  term,  and 
I  understand  few  but  nautical." 

"  You  could  not  apply  to  any  man  in  England,  Sir  Ger- 
vaise,  better  qualified  to  tell  you,"  answered  the  Hertford- 
shire baronet,  smiling  expressively.  "  I  am  a  barrister  of 
the  Middle  Temple,  having  been  educated  as  a  younger  son, 
and  having  since  succeeded  an  elder  brother,  at  the  age  of 
twenty-seven ;  I  stand  in  the  unfortunate  relation  of  the 
*  half-blood '  myself,  to  this  very  estate,  on  which  we  are 
now  conversing." 

Sir  Reginald  then  proceeded  to  explain  the  law  to  the 
other,  as  we  have  already  pointed  it  out  to  the  reader ;  per- 
forming the  duty  succinctly,  but  quite  clearly. 

"Bless  me! — bless  me!  Sir  Reginald,"  exclaimed  the  di- 
rect-minded and  yV/j-Z-minded  sailor — "here  must  be  some 
mistake!  A  fortieth  cousin,  or  the  king,  take  this  estate 
before  yourself,  though  you  are  directly  descended  from  all 
the  old  Wychecombes  of  the  times  of  the  Plantagenets!" 

"  Such  is  the  common  law.  Sir  Gervaise.  Were  I  Sir 
Wycherly's  half-brother,  or  a  son  by  a  second  wife  of  our 
common  father,  I  could  not  take  from  him^  although  that 
common  father  had  earned  the  estate  by  his  own  hands  or 
services." 

"  This  is  damnable,  sir — damnable — and  you'll  pardon 
me,  but  I  can  hardly  believe  we  have  such  a  monstrous 
principle  in  the  good,  honest,  well-meaning  laws,  of  good, 
honest,  well-meaning  old  England!" 

Sir  Reginald  was  one  of  the  few  lawyers  of  his  time  who 
did  not  recognize  the  virtue  of  this  particular  provision  of 
the  common  law;  a  circumstance  that  probably  arose  from 
his  having  so  small  an  interest  now  in  the  mysteries  of  the 
profession,  and  so  large  an  interest  in  the  family  estate  of 
Wychecombe,  destroyed  by  its  dictum.  He  was,  conse- 
quently, less  surprised,  and  not  at  all  hurt,  at  the  evident 
manner  in  which  the  sailor  repudiated  his  statement,  as  do- 
ing violence  equally  to  reason,  justice,  and  probability. 


2l8  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"  Good,  honest,  well-meaning  old  England  tolerates  many 
grievous  things,  notwithstanding,  Sir  Gervaise,"  he  an- 
swered ;  "  among  others,  it  tolerates  the  law  of  the  half- 
blood.  Much  depends  on  the  manner  in  which  men  view 
these  things;  that  which  seems  gold  to  one  resembling  sil- 
ver in  the  eyes  of  another.  Now,  I  dare  say" — this  was 
said  as  a  feeler,  and  with  a  smile  that  might  pass  for  ironi- 
cal or  confiding,  as  the  listener  pleased  to  take  it — "  Now,  I 
dare  say,  the  clans  would  tell  us  that  England  tolerates  a 
usurper,  while  her  lawful  prince  was  in  banishment;  though 
yoic  and  /might  not  feel  disposed  to  allow  it." 

Sir  Gervaise  started,  and  cast  a  quick,  suspicious  glance 
at  the  speaker;  but  there  the  latter  stood,  with  as  open  and 
guileless  an  expression  on  his  handsome  features  as  was 
ever  seen  in  the  countenance  of  confiding  sixteen. 

"  Your  supposititious  case  is  no  parallel,"  returned  the 
vice-admiral,  losing  every  shade  of  suspicion,  at  this  ap- 
pearance of  careless  frankness;  "since  men  often  follow 
their  feelings  in  their  allegiance,  w^hile  the  law  is  supposed 
to  be  governed  by  reason  and  justice.  But,  now  we  are  on 
the  subject,  will  you  tell  me,  Sir  Reginald,  if  you  also  know 
what  a  nullus  is?" 

"  I  have  no  farther  knowledge  of  the  subject.  Sir  Ger- 
vaise," returned  the  other,  smiling,  this  time  quite  natur- 
ally, "  than  is  to  be  found  in  the  Latin  dictionaries  and 
grammars." 

"  Ay — you  mean  7iullus^  nulla^  nullum.  Even  we  sailors 
know  that ;  as  we  all  go  to  school  before  we  go  to  sea. 
But,  Sir  Wycherly,  in  efforts  to  make  himself  understood, 
called  you  a  '  half-blood.'  " 

"And  quite  correctly — I  admit  such  to  be  the  fact;  and 
that  I  have  no  more  legal  claim  whatever  on  this  estate 
than  you  have  yourself.  My  moral  right,  however,  may  be 
somewhat  better." 

"  It  is  much  to  your  credit  that  you  so  frankly  admit  it. 
Sir  Reginald;  for,  hang  me,  if  I  think  even  the  judges  would 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  2ig 

dream  of  raising  such  an  objection  to  your  succeeding,  un- 
less reminded  of  it." 

"Therein  you  do  them  injustice,  Sir  Gervaise;  as  it  is 
their  duty  to  administer  the  laws,  let  them  be  what  they 
may." 

"  Perhaps  you  are  right,  sir.  But  the  reason  for  my  ask- 
ing what  a  nullus  is,  was  the  circumstance  that  Sir  VVych- 
erly,  in  the  course  of  his  efforts  to  speak,  repeatedly  called 
his  nephew  and  heir,  Mr.  Thomas  Wychecombe,  by  that 
epithet." 

"  Did  he,  indeed? — Was  the  epithet,  as  you  well  term  it, 
Jilius  nullius  ^" 

"  I  rather  think  it  was  melius — though  I  do  believe  the 
vioxdjtlms  was  muttered,  once  or  twice,  also." 

"Yes,  sir,  this  has  been  the  case;  and  I  am  not  sorry  Sir 
Wycherly  is  aware  of  the  fact,  as  I  hear  that  the  young  man 
affects  to  consider  himself  in  a  different  point  of  view.  A 
Jilius  nullius  is  the  legal  term  for  a  bastard — the  'son  of  no- 
body,' as  you  will  at  once  understand.  I  am  fully  aware 
that  such  is  the  unfortunate  predicament  of  Mr.  Thomas 
Wychecombe,  whose  father,  I  possess  complete  evidence  to 
show,  was  never  married  to  his  mother." 

"And  yet.  Sir  Reginald,  the  impudent  rascal  carries  in 
his  pocket  even  a  certificate,  signed  by  some  parish  priesr 
in  London,  to  prove  the  contrary. 

The  civil  baronet  seemed  surprised  at  this  assertion  of 
his  military  brother;  but  Sir  Gervaise  explaining  what  had 
passed  between  himself  and  the  young  man,  he  could  no 
longer  entertain  any  doubt  of  the  fact. 

"  Since  you  have  seen  the  document,"  resumed  Sir  Regi- 
nald, "it  must,  indeed,  be  so;  and  this  misguided  boy  is 
prepared  to  take  any  desperate  step  in  order  to  obtain  the 
title  and  the  estate.  All  that  he  has  said  about  a  will  must 
be  fabulous,  as  no  man  in  his  senses  would  risk  his  neck  to 
obtain  so  hollow  a  distinction  as  a  baronetcy — we  are  equally 
members  of  the  class,  and  may  speak  frankly,  Sir  Gervaise— 


220  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

and  the  will  would  secure  the  estate,  if  there  were  one.  1 
cannot  think,  therefore,  that  there  is  a  will  at  all." 

"  If  this  will  were  not  altogether  to  the  fellow's  liking, 
would  not  the  marriage,  besides  the  hollow  honor  of  which 
you  have  spoken,  put  the  whole  of  the  landed  property  in 
his  possession,  under  the  entail.'"' 

"It  would,  indeed;  and  I  thank  you  for  the  suggestion. 
If,  however.  Sir  Wycherly  is  desirous,  now^  of  making  a  ?iew 
will,  and  has  strength  and  mind  sufficient  to  execute  his  pur- 
pose, the  o/d  one  need  give  us  no  concern.  This  is  a  most 
delicate  affair  for  one  in  my  situation  to  engage  in,  sir;  and 
I  greatly  rejoice  that  I  find  such  honorable  and  distinguished 
witnesses  in  the  house,  to  clear  my  reputation,  should  any- 
thing occur  \o  require  such  exculpation.  On  the  one  side. 
Sir  Gervaise,  there  is  the  danger  of  an  ancient  estate's  fall- 
ing into  the  hands  of  the  crown,  and  this,  too,  while  one  of 
no  siaifi  of  blood,  derived  from  the  same  honorable  ances- 
tors as  the  last  possessor,  is  in  existence;  or,  on  the  other, 
of  its  becoming  the  prey  of  one  of  base  blood,  and  of  but 
very  doubtful  character.  The  circumstance  that  Sir  Wych- 
erly desired  my  presence  is  a  great  deal ;  and  I  trust  to 
you,  and  to  those  with  you,  to  vindicate  the  fairness  of  my 
course.  If  it's  your  pleasure,  sir,  we  will  now  go  to  the 
sick-chamber." 

"With  all  my  heart.  I  think,  however.  Sir  Reginald," 
said  the  vice-admiral,  as  he  approached  the  door,  "that 
even  in  the  event  of  an  escheat,  you  would  find  these  Bruns- 
wick princes  sufficiently  liberal  to  restore  the  property.  I 
could  not  answer  for  those  wandering  Scotchmen,  who  have 
so  many  breechless  nobles  to  enrich ;  but,  I  think,  with  the 
Hanoverians  you  would  be  safe." 

"  The  last  have  certainly  one  recommendation  the  most," 
returned  the  other,  smiling  courteously,  but  in  a  way  so 
equivocal  that  even  Sir  Gervaise  was  momentarily  struck 
by  it;  "they  have  fed  so  well,  now,  at  the  crib,  that  they 
may  not  have  the  same  voracity  as  those  who  have  been 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  22*1 

long  fasting.  It  would  be,  however,  more  pleasant  to  take 
these  lands  from  a  Wychecombe — a  Wychecombe  to  a 
Wychecombe — than  to  receive  them  anew  from  even  the 
Plantagenet  who  made  the  first  grant." 

This  terminated  the  private  dialogue,  as  the  colloquists 
entered  the  hall,  just  as  the  last  speaker  concluded.  Wych- 
erly  was  conversing  earnestly  with  Mrs.  Button  and  Mildred, 
at  the  far  end  of  the  hall,  when  the  baronets  appeared ;  but, 
catching  the  eye  of  the  admiral,  he  said  a  few  words  hastily 
to  his  companions,  and  joined  the  two  gentlemen,  who  were 
now  on  their  way  to  the  sick  man's  chamber. 

"  Here  is  a  namesake,  if  not  a  relative.  Sir  Reginald," 
observed  Sir  Gervaise,  introducing  the  lieutenant;  "and 
one,  I  rejoice  to  say,  of  whom  all  of  even  your  honorable 
name  have  reason  to  be  proud." 

Sir  Reginald's  bow  was  courteous  and  bland,  as  the  ad- 
miral proceeded  to  complete  the  introduction ;  but  Wycherly 
felt  that  the  keen,  searching  look  he  bestowed  on  himself 
was  disagreeable. 

"  I  am  not  at  all  aware  that  I  have  the  smallest  claim  to 
the  honor  of  being  Sir  Reginald  Wychecombe's  relative,"  he 
said,  with  cold  reserve.  "  Indeed,  until  last  evening,  I  was 
ignorant  of  the  existence  of  the  Hertfordshire  branch  of  this 
family;  and  you  will  remember.  Sir  Gervaise,  that  I  am  a 
Virginian." 

"A  Virginian!"  exclaimed  his  namesake,  taken  so  much 
by  surprise  as  to  lose  a  little  of  his  self-command.  "  I  did 
not  know,  indeed,  that  any  who  bear  the  name  had  found 
their  way  to  the  colonies." 

"  And  if  they  had,  sir,  they  would  have  met  with  a  set  of 
fellows  every  way  fit  to  be  their  associates.  Sir  Reginald. 
We  English  are  a  little  clannish — I  hate  the  word,  too;  it 
has  such  a  narrow  Scotch  sound — but  we  are  clannish,  al- 
though generally  provided  with  garments  to  our  netlier 
limbs;  and  we  sometimes  look  down  upon  even  a  son  whom 
the  love  of  adventure  has  led  into  that  part  of  the  world 


^22  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

In  my  view  an  Englishman  is  an  Englishman,  let  him  come 
from  what  part  of  the  empire  he  may.  That  is  what  I  call 
genuine  liberality,  Sir  Reginald." 

"Quite  true,  Sir  Gervaise;  and  a  Scotchman  is  a  Scotch- 
man, even  though  he  come  from  the  north  of  Tweed." 

This  was  quietly  said,  but  the  vice-admiral  felt  the  mer- 
ited rebuke  it  contained,  and  he  had  the  good-nature  and  the 
good  sense  to  laugh  at  it,  and  to  admit  his  own  prejudices. 
This  little  encounter  brought  the  party  to  Sir  Wycherly's 
door,  where  all  three  remained  until  it  was  ascertained  that 
they  might  enter. 

The  next  quarter  of  an  hour  brought  about  a  great  change 
in  the  situation  of  all  the  principal  inmates  of  Wychecombe 
Hall.  The  interdict  was  taken  off  the  rooms  of  Sir  Wych- 
erly,  and  in  them  had  collected  all  the  gentlemen,  Mrs. 
Dutton  and  her  daughter,  with  three  or  four  of  the  upper 
servants  of  the  establishment.  Even  Galleygo  contrived  to 
thrust  his  ungainly  person  in  among  the  rest,  though  he 
had  the  discretion  to  keep  in  the  background  among  his 
fellows.  In  a  word,  both  dressing-room  and  bedroom  had 
their  occupants,  though  the  last  was  principally  filled  by  the 
medical  men,  and  those  whose  rank  gave  them  claims  to  be 
near  the  person  of  the  sick. 

It  was  now  past  a  question  known  that  poor  Sir  Wycherly 
was  on  his  death-bed.  His  mind  had  sensibly  improved, 
nor  was  his  speech  any  worse;  but  his  physical  system  gen- 
erally had  received  a  shock  that  rendered  recovery  hopeless. 
It  was  the  opinion  of  the  physicians  that  he  might  possibly 
survive  several  days;  or  that  he  might  be  carried  off,  in  a 
moment,  by  a  return  of  the  paralytic  affection. 

The  baronet,  himself,  appeared  to  be  perfectly  conscious 
of  his  situation ;  as  was  apparent  by  the  anxiety  he  expressed 
to  get  his  friends  together,  and  more  especially  the  concern 
he  felt  to  make  a  due  disposition  of  his  worldly  affairs. 
The  medical  men  had  long  resisted  both  wishes,  until,  con- 
vinced that  the  question  was  reduced  to  one  of  a  few  hours 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  223 

more  or  less  of  life,  and  that  denial  was  likely  to  produce 
worse  effects  than  compliance,  they  finally  and  unanimously 
consented. 

"  It's  no  a  great  concession  to  mortal  infirmity  to  let  a 
dying  man  have  his  way,"  whispered  Magrath  to  the  two 
admirals,  as  the  latter  entered  the  room.  "  Sir  Wycherly  is 
a  hopeless  case,  and  we'll  just  consent  to  let  him  make  a 
few  codicils,  seeing  that  he  so  fairvently  desires  it;  and 
then  there  may  be  fewer  hopeless  deevils  left  behind  him, 
when  he's  gathered  to  his  forefathers." 

"  Here  we  are,  my  dear  Sir  Wycherly,''  said  the  vice- 
adpiiral,  who  never  lost  an  occasion  to  effect  his  purpose,  by 
any  unnecessary  delay;  "here  we  all  are  anxious  to  comply 
with  your  wishes.  Your  kinsman,  Sir  Reginald  Wyche- 
combe,  is  also  present,  and  desirous  of  doing  your  pleasure." 

It  was  a  painful  sight  to  see  a  man  on  his  death-bed,  so 
anxious  to  discharge  the  forms  of  the  world  as  the  master 
of  the  Hall  now  appeared  to  be.  There  had  been  an  un- 
necessary alienation  between  the  heads  of  the  two  branches 
of  the  family;  not  arising  from  any  quarrel  or  positive 
cause  of  disagreement,  but  from  a  silent  conviction  in  both 
parties  that  each  was  unsuited  to  the  other.  They  had  met 
a  few  times,  and  always  parted  without  regret.  The  case 
was  now  different;  the  separation  was,  in  one  sense  at  least, 
to  be  eternal;  and  all  minor  considerations,  all  caprices  of 
habits  or  despotism  of  tastes,  faded  before  the  solemn  im- 
pressions of  the  moment.  Still,  Sir  Wycherly  could  not 
forget  that  he  was  master  of  Wychecombe,  and  that  his 
namesake  was  esteemed  a  man  of  refinement;  and,  in  his 
simple  way  of  thinking,  he  would  fain  have  arisen,  in  order 
to  do  him  honor.  A  little  gentle  violence,  even,  was  neces- 
sary to  keep  the  patient  quiet. 

"  Much  honored,  sir — greatly  pleased,"  muttered  Sir 
Wycherly,  the  words  coming  from  him  with  difficulty. 
"  Same  ancestors — same  name — Plantagenets — old  house, 
sir — head  go,  new  one  come — none  better,  than " 


224  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"  Do  not  distress  yourself  to  speak,  unnecessarily,  my 
dear  sir,"  interrupted  Sir  Reginald,  with  more  tenderness 
for  the  patient  than  consideration  for  his  own  interest,  as 
the  next  words  promised  to  relate  to  the  succession.  "  Sir 
Gervaise  Oakes  tells  me  he  understands  your  wishes,  gener- 
ally, and  that  he  is  now  prepared  to  gratify  them.  First 
relieve  your  mind,  in  matters  of  business;  and  then  I  shall 
be  most  happy  to  exchange  with  you  the  feelings  of  kindred." 

"Yes,  Sir  Wycherly,"  put  in  Sir  Gervaise,  on  this  hint; 
"I  believe  I  have  now  found  the  clew  to  all  you  wish  to 
say.  The  few  words  written  by  you,  last  night,  were  the 
commencement  of  a  will  which  it  is  your  strong  desire  to 
make.  Do  not  speak,  but  raise  your  right  hand,  if  I  am  not 
mistaken." 

The  sick  man  actually  stretched  his  right  arm  above  the 
bedclothes,  and  his  dull  eyes  lighted  with  an  expression  of 
pleasure,  that  proved  how  strongly  his  feelings  were  enlisted 
in  the  result. 

"  You  see,  gentlemen !"  said  Sir  Gervaise,  with  emphasis. 
"No  one  can  mistake  the  meaning  of  this!  Come  nearer, 
doctor — Mr.  Rotherham — all  who  have  no  probable  interest 
in  the  affair — I  wish  it  to  be  seen  that  Sir  Wycherly  Wyche- 
combe  is  desirous  of  making  his  will." 

The  vice-admiral  now  went  through  the  ceremony  of 
repeating  his  request,  and  got  the  same  significant  answer. 

"  So  I  understood  it.  Sir  Wycherly,  and  I  believe  now  I 
also  understand  all  about  the  '  half,'  and  the  *  whole,'  and 
the  *  7uiUus.^  You  meant  to  tell  us  that  your  kinsman,  Sir 
Reginald  Wychecombe,  was  of  the  '  half-blood  '  as  respects 
yourself,  and  that  Mr.  Thomas  Wychecombe,  your  nephew, 
is  what  is  termed  in  law — however  painful  this  may  be, 
gentlemen,  at  such  solemn  moments  the  truth  must  be 
plainly  spoken — that  Mr.  Thomas  Wychecombe  is  what  the 
law  terms  a  ''filius  nuUius.^  If  we  have  understood  you  in 
this,  also,  have  the  goodness  to  give  this  company  the  same 
sign  of  assent" 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  22$ 

The  last  words  were  scarcely  spoken  before  Sir  Wycherly, 
again  raised  his  arm  and  nodded  his  head. 

"  Here  there  can  be  no  mistake,  and  no  one  rejoices  in  it 
more  than  I  do  myself;  for  the  unintelligible  words  gave 
me  a  great  deal  of  vexation.  Well,  my  dear  sir,  under- 
standing your  wishes,  my  secretary,  Mr.  Atwood,  has  drawn 
the  commencement  of  a  will,  in  the  usual  form,  using  your 
own  pious  and  proper  language  of  *  In  the  name  of  God, 
Amen,'  as  the  commencement;  and  he  stands  ready  to  write 
down  your  bequests  as  you  may  see  fit  to  name  them.  We 
will  take  them,  first,  on  a  separate  piece  of  paper;  then  read 
them  to  you,  for  your  approbation ;  and  afterward  transcribe 
them  into  the  will.  I  believe,  Sir  Reginald,  that  mode 
would  withstand  the  subtleties  of  all  the  gentlemen  of  all 
the  Inns  of  Court?" 

"  It  is  a  very  proper  and  prudent  mode  for  executing  a 
will,  sir,  under  the  peculiar  circumstances,"  returned  he  of 
Hertfordshire.  "  But,  Sir  Gervaise,  my  situation,  here,  is  a 
little  delicate,  as  may  be  that  of  Mr.  Thomas  Wychecombe 
— others  of  the  name  and  family,  if  any  such  there  be. 
Would  it  not  be  well  to  inquire  if  our  presence  is  actually 
desired  by  the  intended  testator?" 

"  Is  it  your  wish.  Sir  Wycherly,  that  your  kinsmen  and 
namesakes  remain  in  the  room,  or  shall  they  retire  until  the 
will  is  executed?  I  will  call  over  the  names  of  the  com- 
pany, and  when  you  wish  any  one,  in  particular,  to  stay  in 
the  room  you  will  nod  your  head." 

"All — all  stay,"  muttered  Sir  Wycherly;  "  Sir  Reginald 
—Tom— Wycherly— all " 

"This  seems  explicit  enough,  gentlemen,"  resumed  the 
vice-admiral.  "You  are  a//  requested  to  stay;  and,  if  I 
might  venture  an  opinion,  our  poor  friend  has  named  those 
on  whom  he  intends  his  bequests  to  fall — and  pretty  much, 
too,  in  the  order  in  which  they  will  come." 

"That  will  appear  more  unanswerably  when  Sir  Wycherly 
has  expressed  his  intentions  in  words,"  observed  Sir  Regi  • 
15 


226  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

nald,  very  desirous  that  there  should  not  be  the  smallest 
appearance  of  dictation  or  persuasion  offered  to  his  kinsman, 
at  a  moment  so  grave.  "  Let  me  entreat  that  no  leading 
questions  be  put." 

"  Sir  Gervaise  understands  leading  in  battle  much  better 
than  in  a  cross-examination,  Sir  Reginald,"  Bluewater  ob- 
served, in  a  tone  so  low  that  none  heard  him  but  the  person 
to  whom  the  words  were  addressed.  "  I  think  we  shall 
sooner  get  at  Sir  Wycherly's  wishes  by  allowing  him  to  take 
his  own  course." 

The  other  bowed,  and  appeared  disposed  to  acquiesce. 
In  the  mean  time  preparations  were  making  for  the  construc- 
tion of  the  will.  Atwood  seated  himself  at  a  table  near  the 
bed,  and  commenced  nibbing  his  pens;  the  medical  men 
administered  a  cordial;  Sir  Gervaise  caused  all  the  wit- 
nesses to  range  themselves  around  the  room,  in  a  way  that 
each  might  fairly  see  and  be  seen ;  taking  care,  however,  so 
to  dispose  of  Wycherly  as  to  leave  no  doubt  of  his  hand- 
some person's  coming  into  the  sick  man's  view.  The  lieu- 
tenant's modesty  might  have  rebelled  at  this  arrangement, 
had  he  not  found  himself  immediately  at  the  side  of 
Mildred. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

•'  Vet,  all  is  o'er  !  — fear,  doubt,  suspense,  are  fled, 
Let  brighter  thoughts  be  with  the  virtuous  dead  ! 
The  final  ordeal  of  the  soul  is  past. 
And  the  pale  brow  is  sealed  to  Heaven  at  last." 

Mrs.  Hemans. 

It  will  be  easily  supposed  that  Tom  Wychecombe  witnessed 
the  proceedings  related  in  the  preceding  chapter  with  dis- 
may. The  circumstance  that  he  actually  possessed  a  ho?ia 
Jide  will  of  his  uncle,  which  left  him  heir  of  all  the  latter 
owned,  real  or  personal,  had  made  him  audacious,  and  first 
induced  him  to  take  the  bold  stand  of  asserting  his  legiti- 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS  22/ 

macy,  and  of  claiming  all  its  consequences.  He  had  fully 
determined  to  assume  the  title  on  the  demise  of  Sir  Wych- 
erly;  plausibly  enough  supposing  that,  as  there  was  no  heir 
to  the  baronetcy,  the  lands  once  in  his  quiet  possession,  no 
one  would  take  sufficient  interest  in  the  matter  to  dispute 
his  right  to  the  rank.  Here,  however,  was  a  blow  that  men- 
aced death  to  all  his  hopes.  His  illegitimacy  seemed  to  be 
known  to  others,  and  there  was  every  prospect  of  a  new 
will's  supplanting  the  old  one,  in  its  more  important  provi- 
sions, at  least.  He  was  at  a  loss  to  imagine  what  had  made 
this  sudden  change  in  his  uncle's  intentions;  for  he  did  not 
sufficiently  understand  himself  to  perceive  than  the  few 
months  of  close  communion  which  had  succeeded  the  death 
of  his  reputed  father  had  sufficed  to  enlighten  Sir  Wycherly 
on  the  subject  of  his  own  true  character,  and  to  awaken  a 
disgust  that  had  remained  passive,  until  suddenly  aroused 
by  the  necessity  of  acting;  and  least  of  all  could  he  under- 
stand how  surprisingly  the  moral  vision  of  men  is  purified 
and  enlarged,  as  respects  both  the  past  and  the  future,  by 
the  near  approach  of  death.  Although  symptoms  of  strong 
dissatisfaction  escaped  him,  he  quieted  his  feelings  as  much 
as  possible,  cautiously  waiting  for  any  occurrence  that 
might  be  used  in  setting  aside  the  contemplated  instrument 
hereafter;  or,  what  would  be  better  still,  to  defeat  its  execu- 
tion now. 

As  soon  as  the  necessary  preparations  were  made,  Atwood, 
his  pen  nibbed,  ink  at  hand,  and  paper  spread,  was  ready 
to  proceed :  and,  a  breathless  stillness  existing  in  the  cham- 
ber, Sir  Gervaise  resumed  the  subject  on  which  they  were 
convened. 

"Atwood  will  read  to  you  what  he  has  already  written, 
Sir  Wycherly,"  he  said;  "should  the  phraseology  be  agree- 
able to  you,  you  will  have  the  goodness  to  make  a  sign  to 
that  effect.  Well,  if  all  is  ready,  you  can  now  commence — 
hey!  Atwood?" 

***  In  the  name  of  God,  Amen,' "  commenced  the  methodi- 


228  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

cal  secretary;  *'  *  I,  Wycherly  Wychecombe,  Bart.,  of  Wyche- 
combe  Hall,  in  the  county  of  Devon,  being  of  sound  mind, 
but  of  a  feeble  state  of  health,  and  having  the  view  of  death 
before  my  eyes,  revoking  all  other  wills,  codicils,  or  testa- 
mentary devises,  whatsoever,  do  make  and  declare  this  in- 
strument to  be  my  last  will  and  testament:  that  is  to  say, 

Imprimis,  I  do  hereby  constitute  and  appoint of 

,  the  executor  of  this  my  said  will,  with  all  the  powers 

and  authority  that  the  law  gives,  or  may  hereafter  give  to 

said  executor.     Secondly,   I  give  and  bequeath   to  .' 

This  is  all  that  is  yet  written.  Sir  Gervaise,  blanks  being 
left  for  the  name  or  names  of  the  executor  or  executors,  as 
well  as  for  the  *  s '  at  the  end  of  '  executor,'  should  the  testa- 
tor see  fit  to  name  more  than  one." 

"  There,  Sir  Reginald,"  said  the  vice-admiral,  not  alto- 
gether without  exultation,  "this  is  the  way  we  prepare 
these  things  on  board  a  man-of-war!  A  flag-officer's  secre- 
tary needs  have  himself  qualified  to  do  anything,  short  of  a 
knowledge  of  administering  to  the  cure  of  souls!" 

"  And  the  cure  of  bodies,  ye'll  be  permitting  me  to  add, 
Sir  Gervaise,"  observed  Magrath,  taking  an  enormous  pinch 
of  a  strong  yellow  snuff. 

"  Our  secretary  would  make  but  a  lubberly  fist  at  turning 
off  a  delicate  turtle-soup  out  of  pig's-head;  such  as  we  puts 
on  our  table  at  sea,  so  often,"  muttered  Galleygo  in  the  ear 
of  Mrs.  Larder. 

"  I  see  nothing  to  object  to,  Sir  Gervaise,  if  the  language 
is  agreeable  to  Sir  Wycherly,"  answered  the  barrister  by 
profession,  though  not  by  practice.  "  It  would  be  advisable 
to  get  his  approbation  of  even  the  language." 

"That  we  intend  to  do,  of  course,  sir.  Sir  Wycherly,  do 
you  find  the  terms  of  this  will  to  your  liking?" 

Sir  Wycherly  smiled,  and  very  clearly  gave  the  sign  of 
assent. 

"  I  thought  as  much — for  Atwood  has  made  the  wills  of 
two  admirals  and  of  three  captains,  to  my  knowledge;  and 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  229 

my  Lord  Chief  Justice  said  that  one  of  the  last  would  have 
done  credit  to  the  best  conveyancer  in  England,  and  that  it 
was  a  pity  the  testator  had  nothing  to  bequeath.  Now,  Sir 
Wycherly,  will  you  have  one  executor,  or  more?  If  one^ 
hold  up  a  single  finger;  and  a  finger  for  each  additional 
executor  you  wish  us  to  insert  in  these  blanks.  One,  At- 
wood — you  perceive,  gentlemen,  that  Sir  Wycherly  raises 
but  07ie  finger;  and  so  you  can  give  a  flourish  at  the  end  of 
the  *  r,'  as  the  word  will  be  in  the  singular ; — hey !  Atwood  ?" 

The  secretary  did  as  directed,  and  then  reported  himself 
ready  to  proceed. 

"It  will  be  necessary  for  you  now  to  7iame  your  executor, 
Sir  Wycherly — make  as  little  effort  as  possible,  as  we  shall 
understand  the  name,  alone." 

Sir  Wycherly  succeeded  in  uttering  the  name  of  "  Sir 
Reginald  Wychecombe,"  quite  audibly. 

"  This  is  plain  enough,"  resumed  the  vice-admiral ;  "  how 
does  the  sentence  read  now,  AtwOod?" 

^^^Impri?nis : — I  do  hereby  constitute  and  appoint  Sir 
Reginald  Wychecombe,  of  Wychecombe-Regis,  in  the  county 
of  Herts,  Baronet,  the  executor  of  this  my  said  will,  etc.'" 

"If  that  clause  is  to  your  liking.  Sir  Wycherly,  have  the 
goodness  to  give  the  sign  agreed  on." 

The  sick  man  smiled,  nodded  his  head,  raised  his  hand, 
and  looked  anxiously  at  his  kinsman. 

"  I  consent  to  serve.  Sir  Wycherly,  if  such  is  your  desire," 
observed  the  nominee,  who  detected  the  meaning  of  his  kins- 
man's look. 

"  And  now,  sir,"  continued  the  vice-admiral,  "  it  is  nec- 
essary to  ask  you  a  few  questions,  in  order  that  Atwood  may 
know  what  next  to  write.  Is  it  your  desire  to  bequeath  any 
real  estate?"  Sir  Wycherly  assented.  "Do  you  wish  to 
bequeath  all  your  real  estate?"  The  same  sign  of  assent 
was  given.  "Do  you  wish  to  bequeath  ^// to  one  person?" 
The  sign  of  assent  was  given  to  this  also.  "  This  makes 
plain  sailing  and  a  short  run, — hey!  Atwood?" 


230  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

The  secretary  wrote  as  fast  as  possible,  and  in  two  or  three 
minutes  he  read  aloud,  as  follows  : 

*' '  Secondly,  I  make  and  declare  the  following  bequests  or 

devises — that  is  to  say,  I  give  and  bequeath  to • 

of ,  all  the  real  estate  of  which  I  may  die  seised, 

together  with  all  the  houses,  tenements,  hereditaments,  and 
appurtenances  thereunto  belonging,  and  all  my  rights  to 
the  same,  whether  in   law  or  equity,  to  be  possessed  and 

enjoyed  by  the  said of in  fee,  by 

heirs,  executors,  administrators,  or  assigns,  forever.'  There 
are  blanks  for  the  name  and  description,  as  well  as  for  the 
sex  of  the  devisee,"  added  the  secretary. 

"All  very  proper  and  legal,  I  believe,  Sir  Reginald? 
— I  am  glad  you  think  so,  sir.  Now,  Sir  Wycherly,  we 
wait  for  the  name  of  the  lucky  person  you  mean  thus  to 
favor." 

"  Sir  Reginald  Wychecombe,"  the  sick  man  uttered  pain- 
fully; "half-blood — no  nuUus,  Sir  Michael's  heir — my 
heir." 

"This  is  plain  English!"  cried  Sir  Gervaise,  in  the  way 
of  a  man  who  is  not  displeased;  "put  in  the  name  of  '  Sir 
Reginald  Wychecombe  of  Wychecombe-Regis,  Herts,'  At- 
wood — ay — that  just  fills  the  blank  handsomely — you  want 
^  his  heirs,  executors,  etc.,'  in  the  other  blank." 

"I  beg  your  pardon,  Sir  Gervaise;  it  should  read  *  by 
himself^  his  heirs,  etc'  " 

"  Very  true — very  true,  Atwood.  Now  read  it  slowly,  and 
Sir  Wycherly  will  assent,    if  he  approve." 

This  was  done,  and  Sir  Wycherly  not  only  approved,  but 
it  was  apparent  to  all  present,  the  abashed  and  confounded 
Tom  himself  not  excepted,  that  he  approved  with  a  feeling 
akin  to  delight. 

"That  gives  a  black  eye  to  all  the  land, — hey!  Atwood?" 
said  Sir  Gervaise;  who,  by  this  time,  had  entered  into  the 
business  in  hand  with  all  the  interest  of  a  regular  notary — 
or,  rather,  with  that  of  one  on  whose  shoulders  rested  the 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  23 1 

responsibility  of  success  or  failure.  "  We  come  next  to  the 
personals.  Do  you  wish  to  bequeath  your  furniture,  wines, 
horses,  carriages,  and  other  things  of  that  sort,  to  any  par- 
ticular person,  Sir  Wycherly?" 

"All — Sir  Reginald — Wychecombe — half-blood — old  Sir 
Michael's  heir,"  answered  the  testator. 

"  Good — clap  that  down,  Atwood,  for  it  is  doing  the  thing 
as  I  like  to  see  family  affairs  settled.  As  soon  as  you  are 
ready,  let  us  hear  how  it  sounds  in  writing." 

"*I  furthermore  bequeath  to  the  said  Sir  Reginald 
Wychecombe  of  Wychecombe-Regis,  as  aforesaid,  baronet, 
all  my  personal  property,  whatsoever,'  "  read  Atwood,  as 
soon  as  ready ;  '' '  including  furniture,  wines,  pictures,  books, 
horses  and  carriages,  and  all  other  goods  and  chattels,  of 
which  I  may  die  possessed,  excepting  thereout  and  there- 
from, nevertheless,  such  sums  in  money,  stocks,  bonds, 
notes,  or  other  securities  for  debts,  or  such  articles  as  I  may 
in  this  instrument  especially  devise  to  any  other  person.' 
We  can  now  go  to  especial  legacies.  Sir  Gervaise,  and  then 
another  clause  may  make  Sir  Reginald  residuary  legatee,  if 
such  be  Sir  Wycherly's  pleasure." 

"  If  you  approve  of  that  clause,  my  dear  sir,  make  the 
usual  sign  of  assent." 

Sir  Wycherly  both  raised  his  hand  and  nodded  his  head, 
evidently  quite  satisfied. 

"  Now,  my  good  sir,  we  come  to  the  pounds — no — guin- 
eas? You  like  that  better — well,  I  confess  that  it  sounds 
better  on  the  ear,  and  is  more  in  conformity  with  the  habits 
of  gentlemen.  Will  you  now  bequeath  guineas.''  Good — 
first  name  the  legatee — is  that  right.  Sir  Reginald.'"' 

"Quite  right.  Sir  Gervaise;  and  Sir  Wycherly  will  un- 
derstand that  he  now  names  the  first  person  to  whom  he 
wishes  to  bequeath  anything  else.'' 

"  Milly,"  muttered  the  sick  man. 

"What?  Mills!— the  mills  go  with  the  lands.  Sir  Regi- 
nald?" 


232  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

"He  means  Miss  Mildred  Dutton,"  eagerly  interposed 
Wycherly,  though  with  sufficient  modesty. 

"  Yes— right— right,"  added  the  testator.  "  Little  Milly 
— Milly  Dutton— good  little  Milly." 

Sir  Gervaise  hesitated,  and  looked  round  at  Bluewater,  as 
much  as  to  say,  "  This  is  bringing  coals  to  Newcastle" ;  but 
Atwood  took  the  idea,  and  wrote  the  bequest,  in  the  usual 
form. 

"'I  give  and  bequeath  to  Mildred  Dutton,'"  he  read 
aloud,  '*  'daughter  of   Francis  Dutton  of  the  Royal  Navy, 

the  sum  of .'     What  sum  shall  I  fill  the  blank  with,  Sir 

Wycherly.?" 

"Three — three — yes,  three." 

"Hundreds  or  thousands,  my  good  sir.**"  asked  Sir  Ger- 
vaise, a  little  surprised  at  the  amount  of  the  bequest. 

"  Guineas — three — thousand — guineas — five  per  cents." 

"That's  as  plain  as  logarithms.  Give  the  young  lady 
three  thousand  guineas  in  the  fives,  Atwood." 

"*Igive  and  bequeath  to  Mildred  Dutton,  daughter  of 
Francis  Dutton  of  the  Royal  Navy,  the  sum  of  three  thou- 
sand guineas  in  the  five  per  cent,  stocks  of  this  kingdom.' 
Will  that  do.  Sir  Wycherly?" 

The  old  man  looked  at  Mildred  and  smiled  benevolently; 
for,  at  that  moment,  he  felt  he  was  placing  the  pure  and 
lovely  girl  above  the  ordinary  contingencies  of  her  situa- 
tion, by  rendering  her  independent. 

"Whose  name  shall  we  next  insert,  Sir  Wycherly?"  re- 
sumed the  vice-admiral.  "  There  must  be  many  more  of 
these  guineas  left." 

"Gregory — and — James — children  of  my  brother  Thomas 
— Baron  Wychecombe — five  thousand  guineas  each,"  added 
the  testator,  making  a  great  effort  to  express  his  meaning  as 
clearly  as  possible. 

He  was  understood;  and,  after  a  short  consultation  with 
the  vice-admiral,  Atwood  wrote  out  the  devise  at  length. 

"*  I  give  and  bequeath  to  my  nephews,  Gregory  and  James 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  233 

Wychecombe,  the  reputed  sons  of  my  late  brother,  Thomas 
Wychecombe,  one  of  the  Barons  of  His  Majesty's  Exchequer, 
the  sum  of  five  thousand  guineas,  each,  in  the  five  per  cent, 
funded  debt  of  this  kingdom.'  " 

"  Do  you  approve  of  the  devise,  Sir  Wycherly?  If  so, 
make  the  usual  sign  of  assent." 

Sir  Wycherly  complied,  as  in  all  the  previous  cases  of  his 
approval. 

"Whose  name  shall  we  next  insert,  in  readiness  for  a  leg- 
acy. Sir  Wycherly?"  asked  the  admiral. 

Here  was  a  long  pause,  the  baronet  evidently  turning  over 
in  his  mind  what  he  had  done,  and  what  yet  remained  to  do. 

"  Spread  yourselves,  my  friends,  in  such  a  way  as  to  per- 
mit the  testator  to  see  you  all,"  continued  the  vice-admiral, 
motioning  with  his  hand  to  widen  the  circle  around  the  bed, 
which  had  been  contracted  a  little  by  curiosity  and  interest; 
"  stand  more  this  way.  Lieutenant  Wycherly  Wychecombe^ 
that  the  ladies  may  see  and  be  seen;  and  you,  too,  Mr. 
Thomas  Wychecombe,  come  further  in  front,  where  your 
uncle  will  observe  you." 

This  speech  pretty  exactly  reflected  the  workings  of  the 
speaker's  mind.  The  idea  that  Wycherly  was  a  natural 
child  of  the  baronet's,  notwithstanding  the  Virginian  story, 
was  uppermost  in  his  thoughts;  and,  taking  the  supposed 
fact  in  connection  with  the  young  man's  merit,  he  earnestly 
desired  to  obtain  a  legacy  for  him.  As  for  Tom,  he  cared 
little  whether  his  name  appeared  in  the  will  or  not.  Justice 
was  now  substantially  done,  and,  the  judge's  property  being 
sufficient  for  his  wants,  the  present  situation  of  the  lately 
reputed  heir  excited  but  little  sympathy.  Nevertheless,  Sir 
Gervaise  thought  it  would  be  generous,  under  the  circum- 
stances, to  remind  the  testator  that  such  a  being  as  Tom 
Wychecombe  existed. 

"  Here  is  your  nephew,  Mr.  Thomas,  Sir  Wycherly,"  he 
said ;  "  is  it  your  wish  to  let  his  name  appear  in  your 
will?" 


234  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

The  sick  man  smiled  coldly;  but  he  moved  his  head,  as 
much  as  to  imply  assent. 

"  *  I  give  and  bequeath  to  Thomas  Wychecombe,  the  eldest 
reputed  son  of  my  late  brother,  Thomas,  one  of  the  Barons 
of  His  Majesty's  Exchequer,' "  read  Atwood,  when  the  clause 

was  duly  written ;  " '  the  sum  of ,  in  the  five  per  cent. 

stocks  of  this  kingdom.' " 

"What  sum  will  you  have  inserted.  Sir  Wycherly?" 
asked  the  vice-admiral. 

"  Fifty — fifty — pounds"  said  the  testator,  in  a  voice 
clearer  and  fuller  than  he  had  before  used  that  day. 

The  necessary  words  were  immediately  inserted;  the 
clause,  as  completed,  was  read  again,  and  the  approval  was 
confirmed  by  a  distinctly  pronounced  "  yes."  Tom  started, 
but,  as  all  the  others  maintained  their  self-command,  the 
business  of  the  moment  did  not  the  less  proceed. 

"  Do  you  wish  any  more  names  introduced  into  your  will, 
Sir  Wycherly?"  asked  the  vice-admiral.  "You  have  be- 
queathed but  —  a-a-a  —  how  much  —  hey!  Atwood? — ay, 
ten  and  three  are  thirteen,  and  ^ity  potrnds,  make  ^13,180; 
and  I  hear  you  have  ;^2 0,000  funded,  besides  loose  cash, 
beyond  a  doubt." 

"Ann  Larder — Samuel  Cork  —  Richard  Bitts  —  David 
Brush — Phoebe  Keys,"  said  Sir  Wycherly  slowly,  giving 
time  after  each  pause,  for  Atwood  to  write;  naming  his 
cook,  butler,  groom,  valet  or  body-servant,  and  housekeeper, 
in  the  order  they  have  been  laid  before  the  reader. 

"How  much  to  each.  Sir  Wycherly? — I  see  Atwood  has 
made  short  work,  and  put  them  all  in  the  same  clause — 
that  will  never  do,  unless  the  legacies  are  the  same." 

"Good — good — right,"  muttered  the  testator;  ";^2oo — 
each — ^^1,000 — all — money — money." 

This  settled  the  point,  and  the  clause  was  regularly  writ- 
ten, read,  and  approved. 

"This  raises  the  money  bequests  to  ;£"i4,i8o.  Sir  Wych- 
erly— some  ;j^6,ooo  or  ^^7,000  more  must  remain  to  be  dis- 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  2 35 

posed  of.  Stand  a  little  further  this  way,  if  you  please,  Mr. 
Wycherly  Wychecombe,  and  allow  the  ladies  more  room. 
Whose  name  shall  we  insert  next,  sir?" 

Sir  Wycherly,  thus  directed  by  the  eager  desire  of  the 
admiral  to  serve  the  gallant  lieutenant,  fastened  his  eyes  on 
the  young  man,  regarding  him  quite  a  minute  in  silent 
attention. 

"Virginian — same  name — American — colonies — good  lad 
— brave  lad — ;2^i,ooo,"  muttered  the  sick  man  between  his 
teeth ;  and  yet,  so  breathless  was  the  quiet  of  the  chamber, 
at  that  moment,  every  syllable  was  heard  by  all  present. 
"Yes — ^i,ooo — Wycherly  Wychecombe — royal  navy " 

Atwood's  pen  was  running  rapidly  over  the  paper,  and  had 
just  reached  the  name  of  the  contemplated  legatee,  when  his 
hand  was  arrested  by  the  voice  of  the  young  man  him- 
self. 

"  Stop,  Mr.  Atwood — do  not  insert  any  clause  in  my  fa- 
vor!" cried  Wycherly,  his  face  the  color  of  crimson,  and  his 
chest  heaving  with  the  emotions  he  felt  it  so  difficult  to  re- 
press. "  I  decline  the  legacy — it  will  be  useless  to  write  it, 
as  I  will  not  receive  a  shilling." 

"Young  sir,"  said  Sir  Gervaise,  with  a  little  of  the  sever- 
ity of  a  superior,  when  he  rebukes  an  inferior,  in  his  man- 
ner; "you  speak  hastily.  It  is  not  the  office  of  an  auditor 
or  of  a  spectator  to  repel  the  kindness  of  a  man  about  to 
pass  from  the  face  of  the  earth,  into  the  more  immediate 
presence  of  his  God!" 

"  I  have  every  sentiment  of  respect  for  Sir  Wycherly 
Wychecombe,  sir; — every  friendly  wish  for  his  speedy  re- 
covery, and  a  long  evening  to  his  life;  but  I  will  accept  of 
the  money  of  no  man  who  holds  my  country  in  such  obvious 
distaste  as,  it  is  apparent,  the  testator  holds  mine." 

"You  are  an  Englishman,  I  believe.  Lieutenant  Wyche- 
combe; and  a  servant  of  King  George  II.?" 

"I  am  not  a.n  Englishman,  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes — but  an 
American;  a  Virginian,  entitled  to  all  the  rights  and  privi 


236  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

leges  of  a  British  subject.     I  am  no  more  an  Englishman 
than  Dr.  Magrath  may  lay  claim  to  the  same  character." 

"This  is  putting  the  case  strongly, — hey!  Atwood?"  an- 
swered the  vice-admiral,  smiling  in  spite  of  the  occasion. 
"I  am  far  from  saying  that  you  are  an  Englishman,  in  all 
senses,  sir;  but  you  are  one  in  the  sense  that  gives  you  na- 
tional character  and  national  rights.     You  are  a  subject  of 

"No,  Sir  Gervaise;  your  pardon.  I  am  the  subject  of 
George  II.,  but  in  no  manner  a  subject  of  E?igland.  I  am, 
in  one  sense,  perhaps,  a  subject  of  the  British  empire;  but 
I  am  not  the  less  a  Virginian,  and  an  American.  Not  a 
shilling  of  any  man's  money  will  I  ever  touch  who  expresses 
his  contempt  for  either." 

"  You  forget  yourself,  young  man,  and  overlook  the  future. 
The  hundred  or  two  of  prize-money,  bought  at  the  expense 
of  your  blood,  in  the  late  affair  at  Groix,  will  not  last  for- 
ever." 

"  It  is  gone,  already,  sir,  every  shilling  of  it  having  been 
sent  to  the  widow  of  the  boatswain  who  was  killed  at  my 
side.  I  am  no  beggar.  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes,  though  only  an 
American.  I  am  the  owner  of  a  plantation,  which  affords 
me  a  respectable  independence,  already ;  and  I  do  not  serve 
from  necessity,  but  from  choice.  Perhaps,  if  Sir  Wycherly 
knew  this,  he  would  consent  to  omit  my  name.  I  honor  and 
respect  him;  would  gladly  relieve  his  distress,  either  of 
body  or  mind;  but  I  cannot  consent  to  accept  his  money 
when  offered  on  terms  I  consider  humiliating." 

This  was  said  modestly,  but  with  a  warmth  and  sincerity 
which  left  no  doubt  that  the  speaker  was  in  earnest.  Sir 
Gervaise  too  much  respected  the  feelings  of  the  young  man 
to  urge  the  matter  any  further,  and  he  turned  toward  the  bed, 
in  expectation  of  what  the  sick  man  might  next  say.  Sir 
Wycherly  heard  and  understood  all  that  passed,  and  it  did 
not  fail  to  produce  an  impression,  even  in  the  state  to  which 
he  was  reduced.     Kind-hearted,  and  indisposed  to  injure 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  23/ 

even  a  fl}',  all  the  natural  feelings  of  the  old  man  resumed 
their  ascendency,  and  he  would  gladly  have  given  every 
shilling  of  his  funded  property  to  be  able  freely  to  express 
his  compunction  at  having  ever  uttered  a  syllable  that  could 
offend  sensibilities  so  noble  and  generous.  But  this  ex- 
ceeded his  powers,  and  he  was  fain  to  do  the  best  he  could, 
in  the  painful  situation  in  which  he  was  placed. 

"  Noble  fellow !"  he  stuttered  out ;  "  honor  to  name — come 
here — Sir  Gervaise — bring  here " 

"I  believe  it  is  the  wish  of  Sir  Wycherly,  that  you  would 
draw  near  the  bed,  Mr.  Wychecombe  of  Virginia^^''  said  the 
vice-admiral  pithily,  though  he  extended  a  hand  to,  and 
smiled  kindly  on,  the  youth  as  the  latter  passed  him  in  com- 
pliance. 

The  sick  man  now  succeeded,  with  a  good  deal  of  diffi- 
culty, in  drawing  a  valuable  signet-ring  from  a  finger. — This 
ring  bore  the  Wychecombe  arms,  engraved  on  it.  It  was 
without  the  bloody  hand,  however ;  for  it  was  far  older  than 
the  order  of  baronets,  having,  as  Wycherly  well  knew,  been 
given  by  one  of  the  Plantagenet  Dukes  to  an  ancestor  of  the 
family,  during  the  French  wars  of  Henry  VI.,  and  that,  too, 
in  commemoration  of  some  signal  act  of  gallantry  in  the  field. 

"Wear  this — noble  fellow — honor  to  name,"  said  Sir 
Wycherly.  ^^  Must  be  descended — all  Wychecombes  de- 
scended— him " 

"  I  thank  you,  Sir  Wycherly,  for  this  present,  which  I 
prize  as  it  ought  to  be  prized,"  said  Wycherly,  every  trace 
of  any  other  feeling  than  that  of  gratitude  having  vanished 
from  his  countenance.  "  I  may  have  no  claims  to  your 
honors  or  money;  but  this  ring  I  need  not  be  ashamed  to 
wear,  since  it  was  bestowed  on  one  who  was  as  much  my 
ancestor  as  he  was  the  ancestor  of  any  Wychecombe  in 
England." 

"Legitimate?"  cried  Tom,  a  fierce  feeling  of  resentment 
upsetting  his  caution  and  cunning. 

"  Yes,  sir,  legitimate ^^^  answered  Wycherly,  turning  to  his 


2^8  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

interrogator,  with  the  calmness  of  one  conscious  of  his  own 
truth,  and  with  a  glance  of  the  eye  that  caused  Tom  to 
shrink  back  again  into  the  circle.  "  I  need  no  dar^  to  ena- 
ble me  to  use  this  seal,  which,  you  may  perceive.  Sir  Ger- 
vaise  Oakes,  is  ajac  simile  of  the  one  I  ordinarily  wear,  and 
which  was  transmitted  to  me  from  my  direct  ancestors." 

The  vice-admiral  compared  the  seal  on  Wycherly's  watch- 
chain  with  that  on  the  ring,  and,  the  bearings  being  princi- 
pally griffins,  he  was  enabled  to  see  that  one  was  the  exact 
counterpart  of  the  other.  Sir  Reginald  advanced  a  step, 
and  when  the  admiral  had  satisfied  himself,  he  also  took  the 
two  seals  and  compared  them.  As  all  the  known  branches 
of  the  Wychecombes  of  Wychecombe  bore  the  same  arms, 
viz.,  griffins  for  Wychecombe,  with  three  battering-rams 
quartered,  for  Wycherly — he  saw,  at  once,  that  the  young 
man  habitually  carried  about  his  person  this  proof  of  a 
common  origin.  Sir  Reginald  knew  very  well  that  arms 
were  often  assumed,  as  well  as  names,  and  the  greater  the 
obscurity  of  the  individual  who  took  these  liberties,  the 
greater  was  his  impunity;  but  the  seal  was  a  very  ancient 
one,  and  innovations  on  personal  rights  were  far  less  fre- 
quent a  century  since  than  they  are  to-day.  Then  the  char- 
acter and  appearance  of  Wycherly  put  fraud  out  of  the  ques- 
tion, so  far  as  the  young  lieutenant  himself  was  concerned. 
Although  the  elder  branch  of  the  family,  legitimately  speak- 
ing, was  reduced  to  the  helpless  old  man  who  was  now 
stretched  upon  his  death-bed,  his  own  had  been  extensive; 
and  it  well  might  be  that  some  cadet  of  the  Wychecombes 
of  Wychecombe-Regis  had  strayed  into  the  colonies  and 
left  descendants.  Secretly  resolving  to  look  more  closely 
into  these  facts,  he  gravely  returned  the  seals,  and  intimated 
to  Sir  Gervaise  that  the  more  important  business  before  them 
had  better  proceed.  On  this  hint,  Atwood  resumed  the  pen, 
and  the  vice-admiral  his  duties. 

"There  want  yet  some  ^6,000  or  £'j,ooo  to  make  up 
;!^2 0,000,  Sir  Wycherly,  which  I  understand  is  the  sum  you 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  239 

have  in  the  funds.  Whose  name  or  names  will  you  have 
next  inserted?" 

"Rotherham — vicar — poor  St.  James — gone;  yes — Mr. — • 
Rotherham — vicar." 

The  clause  was  written,  the  sum  of  ^i,ooo  was  inserted, 
and  the  whole  was  read  and  approved. 

"This  still  leaves  some  ;^5,ooo  more  to  deal  with,  my 
dear  sir." 

A  long  pause  succeeded,  during  which  time  Sir  Wycherly 
was  deliberating  what  to  do  with  the  rest  of  his  ready  money. 
At  length  his  wandering  eye  rested  on  the  pale  features  of 
Mrs.  Button;  and,  while  he  had  a  sort  of  liking,  that  pro- 
ceeded from  habit,  for  her  husband,  he  remembered  that  she 
had  many  causes  for  sorrow.  With  a  feeling  that  was 
creditable  to  his  own  heart,  he  uttered  her  name,  and  the 
sum  of  ^2,000.  The  clause  was  written,  accordingly,  read, 
and  approved. 

"We  have  still  ^3,000  certainly,  if  not  ^4,000,"  added 
Sir  Gervaise. 

"Milly— dear  little — Milly— pretty  Milly,"  stammered 
out  the  baronet  affectionately. 

"This  must  go  into  a  codicil.  Sir  Gervaise,"  interrupted 
Atwood;  "there  being  already  one  legacy  in  the  young 
lady's  favor.  Shall  it  be  one,  two,  three,  or  four  thousand 
pounds.  Sir  Wycherly,  in  favor  of  Miss  Mildred,  to  whom 
you  have  already  bequeathed  ;i^3,ooo." 

The  sick  man  muttered  the  words  "three  thousand,"  after 
a  short  pause,  adding  "  codicil." 

His  wishes  were  complied  with,  and  the  whole  was  read 
and  approved.  After  this,  Sir  Gervaise  inquired  if  the  tes- 
tator wished  to  make  any  more  devises.  Sir  Wycherly,  who 
had  in  effect  bequeathed,  within  a  few  hundred  pounds,  all 
he  had  to  bestow,  bethought  himself,  for  a  few  moments,  of 
the  state  of  his  affairs,  and  then  he  signified  his  satisfac- 
tion with  what  had  been  done. 

"As  it  is  possible.  Sir  Wycherly,  that  you  may  have  over- 


240  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

looked  something,"  said  Sir  Gervaise,  "  and  it  is  better  that 
nothing  should  escheat  to  the  crown,  I  will  suggest  the  ex- 
pediency of  your  making  some  one  residuary  legatee.'^ 

The  poor  old  man  smiled  an  assent,  and  then  he  succeeded 
in  muttering  the  name  of  "  Sir  Reginald  Wychecombe." 

This  clause,  like  all  the  others,  was  written,  read,  and  ap- 
proved. The  will  was  now  completed,  and  preparations 
were  made  to  read  it  carefully  over  to  the  intended  testator. 
In  order  that  this  might  be  done  with  sufficient  care  for  fu- 
ture objections,  the  two  admirals  and  Atwood,  who  were 
selected  for  the  witnesses,  each  read  the  testament  himself, 
in  order  to  say  that  nothing  was  laid  before  the  testator  but 
that  which  was  fairly  contained  in  the  instrument,  and  that 
nothing  was  omitted.  When  all  was  ready,  the  will  was 
audibly  and  slowly  read  to  Sir  Wycherly,  by  the  secretary, 
from  the  beginning  to  the  end.  The  old  man  listened  with 
great  attention;  smiled  when  Mildred's  name  was  men- 
tioned; and  clearly  expressed,  by  signs  and  words,  his 
entire  satisfaction  when  all  was  ended.  It  remained  only 
to  place  a  pen  in  his  hand,  and  to  give  him  such  assistance 
as  would  enable  him  to  affix  his  name  twice;  once  to  the 
body  of  the  instrument;  and,  when  this  was  duly  witnessed, 
then  again  to  the  codicil.  By  this  time,  Tom  Wychecombe 
thought  that  the  moment  for  interposing  had  arrived.  He 
had  been  on  thorns  during  the  whole  proceeding,  forming 
desperate  resolutions  to  sustain  the  bold  fraud  of  his  legiti- 
ma  y,  and  thus  take  all  the  lands  and  heirlooms  of  the 
estate,  under  the  entail;  still  he  well  knew  that  a  subordi- 
nate but  important  question  might  arise,  as  between  the  va- 
lidity of  the  two  wills,  in  connection  with  Sir  Wycherly's 
competency  to  make  the  last.  It  was  material,  therefore, 
in  his  view  of  the  case,  to  enter  a  protest. 

"Gentlemen,"  he  said,  advancing  to  the  foot  of  the  bed; 
"  I  call  on  you  all  to  observe  the  nature  of  this  whole  trans- 
action. My  poor,  beloved,  but  misled  uncle,  no  longer  ago 
than  last  night,  was  struck  with  a  fit  of  apoplexy,  or  some- 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  24 1 

thing  so  very  near  it  as  to  disqualify  him  to  judge  in  these 
matters;  and  here  he  is  urged  to  make  a  will " 

"By  whom,  sir?"  demanded  Sir  Gervaise,  with  a  severity 
of  tone  that  induced  the  speaker  to  fall  back  a  step. 

"Why,  sir,  in  my  judgment,  by  all  in  the  room.  If  not 
with  their  tongues,  at  least  with  their  eyes." 

"And  why  should  all  in  the  room  do  this?  Am  I  a  leg- 
atee?— is  Admiral  Bluewater  to  be  a  gainer  by  this  will? — ■ 
can  witnesses  to  a  will  be  legatees?" 

"  I  do  not  wish  to  dispute  the  matter  with  you,  Sir  Ger- 
vaise Oakes;  but  I  solemnly  protest  against  this  irregular 
and  most  extraordinary  manner  of  making  a  will.  Let  all 
who  hear  me  remember  this,  and  be  ready  to  testify  to  it 
when  called  on  in  a  court  of  justice," 

Here  Sir  Wycherly  struggled  to  rise  in  the  bed,  in  evident 
excitement,  gesticulating  strongly  to  express  his  disgust, 
and  his  wish  for  his  nephew  to  withdraw.  But  the  physi- 
cians endeavored  to  pacify  him,  while  Atwood,  with  the 
paper  spread  on  a  portfolio,  and  a  pen  in  readiness,  coolly 
proceeded  to  obtain  the  necessary  signatures.  Sir  Wych- 
erly's  hand  trembled  so  much  when  it  received  the  pen  that, 
for  the  moment,  writing  was  out  of  the  question,  and  it  be- 
came necessary  to  administer  a  restorative  in  order  to 
strengthen  his  nerves. 

"  Away — out  of  sight,"  muttered  the  excited  baronet,  leav- 
ing no  doubt  on  all  present  that  the  uppermost  feeling  of 
the  moment  was  the  strong  desire  to  rid  himself  of  the  pres- 
ence of  the  offensive  object.  "  Sir  Reginald — little  Milly 
— poor  servants — brothers — all  the  rest,  stay." 

"Just  be  calming  the  mind.  Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe," 
put  in  Magrath,  "  and  ye'll  be  solacing  the  body  by  the  same 
effort.  When  the  mind  is  in  a  state  of  exaltation,  the  ner- 
vous system  is  apt  to  feel  the  influence  of  sympathy.  By 
bringing  the  two  in  harmonious  co-operation,  the  testamen- 
tary devises  will  have  none  the  less  of  validity,  either  in 
reality  or  in  appearances." 
16 


242  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

Sir  Wycherly  understood  the  surgeon,  and  he  struggled 
for  seii-command.  He  raised  the  pen,  and  succeeded  in 
getting  its  point  on  the  proper  place.  Then  his  dim  eye 
lighted,  and  shot  a  reproachful  glance  at  Tom ;  he  smiled 
in  a  ghastly  manner,  looked  toward  the  paper,  passed  a  hand 
across  his  brow,  closed  his  eyes,  and  fell  back  on  the  pil- 
low, utterly  unconscious  of  all  that  belonged  to  life,  its  in- 
terests, its  duties,  or  its  feelings.  In  ten  minutes,  he  ceased 
to  breathe. 

Thus  died  Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe,  after  a  long  life, 
in  which  general  qualities  of  a  very  negative  nature  had 
been  somewhat  relieved  by  kindness  of  feeling,  a  passive  if 
not  an  active  benevolence,  and  such  a  discharge  of  his  re- 
sponsible duties  as  is  apt  to  flow  from  an  absence  of  any 
qualities  that  are  positively  bad;  as  well  as  of  many  of 
material  account,  that  are  affirmatively  good. 


CHAPTER   XV. 

*'  Come  ye,  who  still  the  cumbrous  load  of  life 

Push  hard  up  hill  ;  but  at  the  farthest  steep 
You  trust  to  gain,  and  put  an  end  to  strife, 

Down  thunders  back  the  stone  with  mighty  sweep, 
And  hurls  your  labors  to  the  valley  deep  ; — " 

Thomson. 

The  sudden,  and,  in  some  measure,  unlooked-for  event,  re- 
lated in  the  close  of  the  last  chapter,  produced  a  great 
change  in  the  condition  of  things  at  Wychecombe  Hall. 
The  first  step  was  to  make  sure  that  the  baronet  was  actually 
dead;  a  fact  that  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes,  in  particular,  was 
very  unwilling  to  believe,  in  the  actual  state  of  his  feelings. 
Men  often  fainted,  and  apoplexy  required  three  blows  to 
kill;  the  sick  man  might  still  revive,  and  at  least  be  able  to 
execute  his  so  clearly  expressed  intentions. 

"  Ye'U  never  have  act  of  any  sort,  testamentary  or  matri- 
monial, legal  or  illegal,  in  this  life,  from  the  late  Sir  Wych- 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  243 

erly  Wychecombe,  of  Wychecombe  Hall,  Devonshire,"  coolly 
observed  Magrath,  as  he  collected  the  different  medicines 
and  instruments  he  had  himself  brought  forth  for  the  occa- 
sion. "  He's  far  beyond  the  jurisdiction  of  My  Lord  High 
Chancellor  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons;  and 
therefore  ye'll  be  acting  prudently  to  consider  him  as  de- 
ceased; or  in  the  light  in  which  the  human  body  is  placed 
by  the  cessation  of  all  the  animal  functions." 

This  decided  the  matter,  and  the  necessary  orders  were 
given-  all  but  the  proper  attendants  quitting  the  chamber  of 
death.  It  would  be  far  from  true  to  say  that  no  one  la- 
mented Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe.  Both  Mrs.  Button  and 
Mildred  grieved  for  his  sudden  end,  and  wept  sincerely  for 
his  loss ;  though  totally  without  a  thought  of  its  consequences 
to  themselves.  The  daughter  did  not  even  once  think  how 
near  she  had  been  to  the  possession  of  ^^6,000,  and  how 
unfortunately  the  cup  of  comparative  affluence  had  been 
dashed  from  her  lips;  though  truth  compels  us  to  avow  that 
the  mother  did  once  recall  this  circumstance,  with  a  feeling 
akin  to  regret.  A  similar  recollection  had  its  influence  on 
the  manifestations  of  sorrow  that  flowed  from  others.  The 
domestics,  in  particular,  were  too  much  astounded  to  indulge 
in  any  very  abstracted  grief,  and  Sir  Gervaise  and  Atwood 
were  both  extremely  vexed.  In  short,  the  feelings  usual  to 
such  occasions  were  but  little  indulged  in,  though  there  was 
a  strict  observance  of  decorum. 

Sir  Reginald  Wychecombe  noted  these  circumstances  at- 
tentively, and  he  took  his  measures  accordingly.  Seizing  a 
favorable  moment  to  consult  with  the  two  admirals,  his  de- 
cision was  soon  made;  and,  within  an  hour  after  his  kins- 
man's death,  all  the  guests  and  most  of  the  upper  servants 
were  assembled  in  the  room  which  it  was  the  usage  of  the 
house  to  call  the  library;  though  the  books  were  few,  and 
seldom  read.  Previously,  there  had  been  a  consultation 
between  Sir  Peginald  and  the  two  admirals,  to  which  Atwood 
had  been  admitted,  ex  officio.     As  everything,  therefore,  had 


244  THE    TWO   ADMIRALS. 

been  arranged  in  advance,  there  was  no  time  lost  unneces- 
sarily, when  the  company  was  collected;  the  Hertfordshire 
baronet  coming  to  the  point  at  once,  and  that  in  the  clearest 
manner. 

"  Gentlemen,  and  you,  good  people,  domestics  of  the  late 
Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe,"  he  commenced;  "you  are  all 
acquainted  with  the  unfortunate  state  of  this  household. 
By  the  recent  death  of  its  master,  it  is  left  without  a  head; 
and,  the  deceased  departing  this  life  a  bachelor,  there  is  no 
child  to  assume  his  place,  as  the  natural  and  legal  successor. 
In  one  sense,  I  might  be  deemed  the  next  of  kin ;  though, 
by  a  dictum  of  the  common  law,  I  have  no  claim  to  the  suc- 
cession. Nevertheless,  you  all  know  it  was  the  intention  of 
our  late  friend  to  constitute  me  his  executor,  and  I  conceive 
it  proper  that  search  should  now  be  made  for  a  will,  which, 
by  being  duly  executed,  must  dispose  of  all  in  this  house, 
and  let  us  know  who  is  entitled  to  command  at  this  solemn 
and  important  moment.  It  strikes  me.  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes, 
that  the  circumstances  are  so  peculiar  as  to  call  for  prompt 
proceedings." 

"  I  fully  agree  with  you,  Sir  Reginald,"  returned  the  vice- 
admiral  ;  "  but,  before  we  proceed  any  further,  I  would  sug- 
gest the  propriety  of  having  as  many  of  those  present  as 
possible  who  have  an  interest  in  the  result.  Mr.  Thomas 
Wychecombe,  the  reputed  nephew  of  the  deceased,  I  do  not 
see  among  us." 

On  examination,  this  was  found  to  be  true,  and  the  man  of 
Tom  Wychecombe,  who  had  been  ordered  by  his  master  to 
be  present  as  a  spy,  was  immediately  sent  to  the  latter,  with 
a  request  that  he  would  attend.  After  a  delay  of  two  or 
three  minutes,  the  fellow  returned  with  the  answer. 

"  Sir  Thomas  Wychecombe's  compliments,  gentlemen,"  he 
said,  "  and  he  desires  to  know  the  object  of  your  request. 
He  is  in  his  room,  indulging  in  natural  grief  for  his  recent 
loss;  and  he  prefers  to  be  left  alone  with  his  sorrows,  just 
at  this  moment,  if  it  be  agreeable  to  you." 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  245 

This  was  taking  high  ground  in  the  commencement;  and, 
as  the  man  had  his  cue,  and  delivered  his  message  with 
great  distinctness  and  steadiness,  the  effect  on  the  depen- 
dants of  the  houseliold  was  very  evident.  Sir  Reginald's 
face  flushed,  while  Sir  Gervaise  bit  his  lip ;  Bluewater  played 
with  the  hilt  of  his  sword,  very  indifferent  to  all  that  was 
passing;  while  Atwood  and  the  surgeons  shrugged  their 
shoulders  and  smiled.  The  first  of  these  persons  well  knew 
that  Tom  had  no  shadow  of  a  claim  to  the  title  he  had  been 
in  so  much  haste  to  assume,  however,  and  he  hoped  that  the 
feebleness  of  his  rights  in  all  particulars  was  represented  by 
the  mixed  feebleness  and  impudence  connected  with  this 
message.  Determined  not  to  be  bullied  from  his  present 
purpose,  therefore,  he  turned  to  the  servant  and  sent  him 
back  with  a  second  message,  that  did  not  fail  of  its  object. 
The  man  was  directed  to  inform  his  master  that  Sir  Regi- 
nald Wychecombe  was  in  possession  of  facts  that,  in  his 
opinion,  justified  the  course  he  was  taking,  and  if  "Mr. 
Thomas  Wychecombe"  did  not  choose  to  appear,  in  order  to 
look  after  his  own  interests,  he  should  proceed  without  him. 
This  brought  Tom  into  the  room,  his  face  pale  with  uncer- 
tainty rather  than  with  grief,  and  his  mind  agitated  with 
such  apprehensions  as  are  apt  to  beset  even  the  most  wicked, 
when  they  take  their  first  important  step  in  evil.  He  bowed, 
however,  to  the  company,  with  an  air  that  he  intended  to 
represent  the  manner  of  a  well-bred  man  acknowledging  /lis 
duties  to  respected  guests. 

"  If  I  appear  remiss  in  any  of  the  duties  of  a  host,  gentle- 
men," he  said,  "  you  will  overlook  it,  I  trust,  in  considera- 
tion of  my  present  feelings.  Sir  Wycherly  was  my  father's 
elder  brother,  and  was  very  dear,  as  he  was  very  near  to  me. 
By  this  melancholy  death.  Sir  Reginald,  I  am  suddenly  and 
unexpectedly  elevated  to  be  the  head  of  our  ancient  and 
honorable  family;  but  I  know  my  own  personal  unworthi- 
ness  to  occupy  that  distinguished  place,  and  feel  how  much 
better  it  would  be  filled  by  yourself.      Although  the  law 


246  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

has  placed  a  wide  and  impassable  barrier  between  all  of 
your  branch  of  the  family  and  ourselves,  I  shall  ever  be 
ready  to  acknowledge  the  affinity,  and  to  confess  that  it  does 
us  quite  as  much  honor  as  it  bestows." 

Sir  Reginald,  by  a  great  effort,  commanded  himself  so  far 
as  to  return  the  bow,  and  apparently  to  receive  the  conde- 
scending admissions  of  the  speech,  with  a  proper  degree  of 
respect. 

"Sir,  I  thank  you,"  he  answered,  with  formal  courtesy; 
"no  affinity  that  can  be  properly  and  legally  established 
will  ever  be  disavowed  by  me.  Under  present  circum- 
stances, however,  summoned  as  I  have  been  to  the  side  of 
his  death-bed  by  the  late  Sir  Wycherly  himself,  and  named 
by  him,  as  one  might  say,  with  his  dying  breath,  as  his  exec- 
utor, I  feel  it  a  duty  to  inquire  into  the  rights  of  all  parties, 
and,  if  possible,  to  ascertain  who  is  the  successor,  and  con- 
sequently who  has  the  best  claim  to  command  here." 

"You  surely  do  not  attach  any  validity.  Sir  Reginald,  to 
the  pretended  will  that  was  so  singularly  drawn  up  in  my 
dear  uncle's  presence,  an  hour  before  he  died!  Had  that 
most  extraordinary  instrument  been  duly  signed  and  sealed, 
I  cannot  think  that  the  Doctor's  Commons  would  sustain  it; 
but  imsigned  and  misealed,  it  is  no  better  than  so  much  waste 
paper," 

"  As  respects  the  real  estate,  sir,  though  so  great  a  loser 
by  the  delay  of  five  minutes,  I  am  willing  to  admit  that  you 
are  right.  With  regard  to  the  personals,  a  question  in 
equity — one  of  clearly  expressed  intention — might  possibly 
arise;  though  even  of  that  I  am  by  no  means  certain." 

"No,  sir;  no!"  cried  Tom,  a  glow  of  triumph  coloring 
his  cheek,  in  spite  of  every  effort  to  appear  calm ;  "  no  Eng- 
lish court  would  ever  disturb  the  natural  succession  to  the 
personals!  I  am  the  last  man  to  wish  to  disturb  some  of 
these  legacies  —  particularly  that  to  Mr.  Rotherham,  and 
those  to  the  poor,  faithful  domestics" — Tom  saw  the  pru- 
dence of  conciliating  allies,  at  such  a  critical  moment,  and 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  24/ 

his  declaration  had  an  instant  and  strong  effect,  as  was  evi- 
dent by  the  countenances  of  many  of  the  listeners;  "and,  I 
may  say,  that  to  Miss  Mildred  Button;  all  of  which  will  be 
duly  paid,  precisely  as  if  my  beloved  uncle  had  been  in  his 
right  mind,  and  had  actually  made  the  bequests;  for  this 
mixture  of  reason  and  justice,  with  wild  and  extraordinary 
conceits,  is  by  no  means  uncommon  among  men  of  great 
age,  and  in  their  last  moments.  However,  Sir  Reginald,  I 
beg  you  will  proceed,  and  act  as  in  your  judgment  the  ex- 
traordinary circumstances  of  what  may  be  called  a  very 
peculiar  case,  require.'' 

"  I  conceive  it  to  be  our  duty,  sir,  to  search  for  a  will. 
If  Sir  Wycherly  has  actually  died  intestate,  it  will  be  time 
enough  to  inquire  into  the  question  of  the  succession  at 
common  law.  I  have  here  the  keys  of  his  private  secretary; 
and  Mr.  Furlong,  the  land-steward,  who  has  just  arrived, 
and  whom  you  see  in  the  room,  tells  me  Sir  Wycherly  was 
accustomed  to  keep  all  his  valuable  papers  in  this  piece  of 
furniture.     I  shall  now  proceed  to  open  it." 

"  Do  so.  Sir  Reginald;  no  one  can  have  a  stronger  desire 
than  myself  to  ascertain  my  beloved  uncle's  pleasure. 
Those  to  whom  he  seemed  to  wish  to  give,  even,  shall  not  be 
losers  for  the  want  of  his  name." 

Tom  was  greatly  raised  in  the  opinions  of  half  in  the 
room,  by  this  artful  declaration,  which  was  effectually  se- 
curing just  so  many  friends,  in  the  event  of  any  occurrence 
that  might  render  such  support  necessary.  In  the  mean  time. 
Sir  Reginald,  assisted  by  the  steward,  opened  the  secretary, 
and  found  the  deposit  of  papers.  The  leases  were  all  in 
order;  the  title-deeds  were  properly  arranged;  the  books 
and  accounts  appeared  to  be  exactly  kept;  ordinary  bills 
and  receipts  were  filed  with  method ;  two  or  three  bags  of 
guineas  proved  that  ready  cash  was  not  wanting;  and,  in 
short,  everything  showed  that  the  deceased  had  left  his 
affairs  in  perfect  order  and  in  a  very  intelligible  condition. 
Paper  after  paper,  however,  was  opened,  and  nothing  like  a 


24S  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

will,  rough  draft  or  copied,  was  to  be  found.  Disappoint- 
ment was  strongly  painted  on  the  faces  of  all  the  gentlemen 
present;  for  they  had  ignorantly  imbibed  the  opinion  that 
the  production  of  a  will  would,  in  some  unknown  manner, 
defeat  the  hopes  of  the  soi-disa?it  Sir  Thomas  Wychecombe. 
Nor  was  Tom  himself  altogether  without  concern ;  for,  since 
the  recent  change  in  his  uncle's  feelings  toward  himself,  he 
had  a  secret  apprehension  that  some  paper  might  be  found, 
to  defeat  all  his  hopes.  Triumph,  however,  gradually  as- 
sumed the  place  of  fear,  in  the  expression  of  his  counte- 
nance ;  and  when  Mr.  Furlong,  a  perfectly  honest  man,  de- 
clared that,  from  the  late  baronet's  habits,  as  well  as  from 
the  result  of  this  search,  he  did  not  believe  that  any  such 
instrument  existed,  his  feelings  overflowed  in  language. 

"Not  so  fast.  Master  Furlong— not  so  fast,"  he  cried; 
"  here  is  something  that  possibly  even  your  legal  acumen 
may  be  willing  to  term  a  will.  You  perceive,  gentlemen,  I 
have  it  in  my  possession  on  good  authority,  as  it  is  addressed 
to  me  by  name,  and  that,  too,  in  Sir  Wycherly's  own  hand- 
writing; the  envelope  is  sealed  with  his  private  seal.  You 
will  pronounce  this  to  be  my  dear  uncle's  hand.  Furlong" 
• — showing  the  superscription  of  the  letter — "  and  this  to  be 
his  seal?" 

"  Both  are  genuine,  gentlemen,"  returned  the  steward, 
with  a  sigh.     "Thus  far,  Mr.  Thomas  is  in  the  right." 

'''■Mr.  Thomas,  sirrah! — and  why  not  Sir  Thomas?  Are 
baronets  addressed  as  other  men,  in  England?  But  no  mat- 
ter! There  is  a  time  for  all  things.  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes, 
as  you  are  perfectly  indifferent  in  this  affair,  I  ask  of  you 
the  favor  to  break  the  seal,  and  to  inquire  into  the  contents 
of  the  paper?" 

The  vice-admiral  was  not  slow  in  complying;  for,  by  this 
time,  he  began  to  feel  an  intense  interest  in  the  result.  The 
reader  will  readily  understand  that  Tom  had  handed  to  Sir 
Gervaise  the  will  drawn  up  by  his  father,  and  which,  after 
inserting  his   reputed    nephew's    name.   Sir  Wycherly   hr.d 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  249 

duly  executed,  and  delivered  to  the  person  most  interested. 
The  envelope,  address,  and  outer  seal,  Tom  had  obtained 
the  very  day  the  will  was  signed,  after  assuring  himself  of 
the  contents  of  the  latter,  by  six  or  eight  careful  perusals. 
The  vice-admiral  read  the  instrument  from  beginning  to 
end,  before  he  put  it  into  the  hands  of  Sir  Reginald  to  ex- 
amine. The  latter  fully  expected  to  meet  with  a  clumsy 
forgery;  but  the  instant  his  eyes  fell  on  the  phraseology,  he 
perceived  that  the  will  had  been  drawn  by  one  expert  in  the 
law.  A  second  look  satisfied  him  that  the  hand  was  that  of 
Mr.  Baron  Wychecombe.  It  has  already  been  said  that  in 
this  instrument  Sir  Wycherly  bequeathed  all  he  had  on 
earth  to  "  his  nephew,  Thomas  Wychecombe,  son,  etc.,  etc.," 
making  his  heir,  also,  his  executor. 

"  This  will  appears  to  me  to  have  been  drawn  up  by  a 
very  skilful  lawyer;  the  late  Baron  Wychecmbe,"  observed 
the  baronet. 

"  It  was.  Sir  Reginald,"  answered  Tom,  endeavoring  to 
appear  unconcerned.  "  He  did  it  to  oblige  my  respected 
uncle,  leaving  blanks  for  the  name  of  the  devisee,  not  liking 
to  make  a  will  so  very  decidedly  in  favor  of  his  own  son. 
The  writing  in  the  blanks  is  by  Sir  Wycherly  himself,  leav- 
ing no  doubts  of  his  intentions." 

"  I  do  not  see  but  you  may  claim  to  be  the  heir  of 
Wychecombe,  sir,  as  well  as  of  the  personals;  though  your 
claims  to  the  baronetcy  shall  certainly  be  contested  and 
defeated." 

"And  why  defeated?"  demanded  Wycherly,  stepping  for- 
ward for  the  first  time,  and  speaking  with  a  curiosity  he 
found  it  difficult  to  control.  "Is  not  Mr.  Thomas — Sir 
Thomas,  I  ought  rather  to  say — the  eldest  son  of  the  late 
Sir  Wycherly's  next  brother;  and,  as  a  matter  of  course,  heir 
to  the  title,  as  well  as  to  the  estate.-*" 

"  Not  he,  as  I  can  answer  from  a  careful  examination  of 
proofs.  Mr.  Baron  Wychecombe  was  never  married,  and 
thus  could  have  no  heir  at  law." 


250  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"Is  this  possible! — How  have  we  all  been  deceived  then, 
in  America!" 

"  Why  do  you  say  this,  young  gentleman  ?  Can  you  have 
any  legal  claims  here?" 

"  I  am  Wycherly,  the  only  son  of  Wycherly,  who  was  the 
eldest  son  of  Gregory,  the  younger  brother  of  the  late  baro- 
net; and,  if  what  you  say  be  true,  the  next  in  succession  to 
the  baronetcy,  at  least." 

"This  is "  Tom's  words  stuck  in  his  throat;  for  the 

quiet,  stern  eye  of  the  young  sailor  met  his  look  and  warned 
him  to  be  prudent. — "  This  is  a  mistake^'  he  resumed.  "  My 
uncle  Gregory  was  lost  at  sea,  and  died  a  bachelor.  He  can 
have  left  no  lawful  issue." 

"  I  must  say,  young  gentleman,"  added  Sir  Reginald 
gravely,  "that  such  has  always  been  the  history  of  his  fate. 
I  have  had  too  near  an  interest  in  this  family,  to  neglect  its 
annals." 

"  I  know,  sir,  that  such  has  been  the  opinion  here  for 
more  than  half  a  century ;  but  it  was  founded  in  error.  The 
facts  are  simply  these.  My  grandfather,  a  warm-hearted 
but  impetuous  young  man,  struck  an  older  lieutenant,  when 
ashore  and  on  duty,  in  one  of  the  West  India  Islands.  The 
penalty  was  death ;  but  neither  the  party  injured  nor  the 
commander  of  the  vessel  wished  to  push  matters  to  extrem- 
ity, and  the  offender  was  advised  to  absent  himself  from  the 
ship,  at  the  moment  of  sailing.  The  injured  party  was  in- 
duced to  take  this  course,  as  in  a  previous  quarrel  my 
grandfather  had  received  his  fire,  without  returning  it, 
frankly  admitting  his  fault.  The  ship  did  sail  without  Mr. 
Gregory  Wychecombe,  and  was  lost,  every  soul  on  board 
perishing.  My  grandfather  passed  into  Virginia,  where  he 
remained  a  twelvemonth,  suppressing  his  story,  lest  its  nar- 
ration might  lead  to  military  punishment.  Love  next  sealed 
his  future  fate.  He  married  a  woman  of  fortune,  and, 
though  his  history  was  well  known  in  his  own  retired  circle, 
it  never  spread  beyond  it.     No  one  supposed  him  near  the 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  25  I 

succession,  and  there  was  no  motive  for  stating  the  fact,  on 
account  of  his  interests.  Once  he  wrote  to  Sir  Wycherly 
but  he  suppressed  the  letter,  as  likely  to  give  more  pain  than 
pleasure.  That  letter  I  now  have,  and  in  his  own  hand- 
writing. I  have  also  his  commission,  and  all  the  other 
proofs  of  identity  that  such  a  person  would  be  apt  to  pos- 
sess. They  are  as  complete  as  any  court  in  Christendom 
would  be  likely  to  require,  for  he  never  felt  a  necessity  for 
changing  his  name.  He  has  been  dead  but  two  years,  and 
previously  to  dying  he  saw  that  every  document  necessary  to 
establish  my  claim,  should  a  moment  for  enforcing  it  ever 
arrive,  was  put  in  such  a  legal  form  as  to  admit  of  no  cav- 
illing. He  outlived  my  own  father,  but  none  of  us  thought 
there  was  any  motive  for  presenting  ourselves,  as  all  be- 
lieved that  the  sons  of  Baron  Wychecombe  were  legitimate. 
I  can  only  say,  sir,  that  I  have  complete  legal  evidence  that 
I  am  heir  at  law  of  Gregory,  the  younger  brother  of  the  late 
Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe.  Whether  the  fact  will  give  me 
any  rights  here,  you  best  can  say." 

"  It  will  make  you  heir  of  entail  to  this  estate,  master  o?. 
this  house,  and  of  most  of  what  it  contains,  and  the  present 
baronet.  You  have  only  to  prove  what  you  say,  to  defeat 
every  provision  of  this  will,  with  the  exception  of  that  which 
refers  to  the  personal  estate." 

"Bravo!"  cried  Sir  Gervaise,  fairly  rubbing  his  hands 
with  delight.  "Bravo,  Dick;  if  we  were  aboard  the  Plan- 
tagenet,  by  the  Lord,  I'd  turn  the  hands  up,  and  have  three 
cheers.  So  then,  my  brave  young  seaman,  you  turn  out  to 
be  Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe,  after  all!" 

"  Yes,  that's  the  way  we  always  does,  on  board  ship,"  ob- 
served Galleygo,  to  the  group  of  domestics;  "whenevei 
anything  of  a  hallooing  character  turns  up.  Sometimes  we 
makes  a  signal  to  Admiral  Blue  and  the  rest  on  'em,  to 
*  stand  by  to  cheer,'  and  all  of  us  sets  to,  to  cheer  as  if  our 
stomachs  was  full  of  hurrahs,  and  we  wanted  to  get  rid  on 
'em.     If  Sir  Jarvy  v.ould  just  pass  the  word  now,  you'd  have 


252  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

a  taste  of  that  'ere  custom,  that  would  do  your  ears  good  for 
a  twelvemonth.  It's  a  cheering  matter  when  the  one  of  the 
trade  falls  heir  to  an  estate." 

"And  would  this  be  a  proper  mode  of  settling  a  question 
of  a  right  of  property,  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes?"  asked  Tom, 
with  more  of  right  and  reason  than  he  commonly  had  of  his 
side;  "and  that,  too,  with  my  uncle  lying  dead  beneath  this 
roof?" 

"I  acknowledge  the  justice  of  the  reproof,  young  sir,  and 
will  say  no  more  in  the  matter — at  least,  nothing  as  indis- 
creet as  my  last  speech.  Sir  Reginald,  you  have  the  affair 
in  hand,  and  I  recommend  it  to  your  serious  attention." 

"  Fear  nothing.  Sir  Gervaise,"  answered  he  of  Hertford- 
shire. "  Justice  shall  be  done  in  the  premises,  if  justice 
rule  in  England.  Your  story,  young  gentleman,  is  probable, 
and  naturally  told,  and  I  see  a  family  likeness  between  you 
and  the  Wychecombes,  generally;  a  likeness  that  is  cer- 
tainly not  to  be  traced  in  the  person  of  the  other  claimant. 
Did  the  point  depend  on  the  legitimacy  of  Mr.  Thomas 
Wychecombe,  it  might  be  easily  determined,  as  I  have  his 
own  mother's  declaration  to  the  fact  of  his  illegitimacy,  as 
well  as  of  one  other  material  circumstance  that  may  possi- 
bly unsettle  even  the  late  Baron  Wychecombe's  will.  But 
this  testamentary  devise  of  Sir  Wycherly  appears  to  be  per- 
fect, and  nothing  but  the  entail  can  defeat  it.  You  speak 
of  your  proofs;  where  are  they?  It  is  all-important  to 
know  which  party  is  entitled  to  possession." 

"  Here  they  are,  sir,"  answered  Wycherly,  removing  a  belt 
from  his  body,  and  producing  his  papers;  "not  in  the  orig- 
inals, certainly;  for  most  of  them  are  matters  of  official 
record,  in  Virginia;  but  in  what  the  lawyers  call  '  exempli- 
fied copies,'  and  which  I  am  told  are  in  a  fit  state  to  be  read 
as  evidence  in  any  court  in  England,  that  can  take  cogni- 
zance of  the  matter." 

Sir  Reginald  took  the  papers,  and  began  to  read  them, 
one  by  one,  and  with  deep  attention.     The  evidence  of  the 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  253 

identity  of  the  grandfather  was  full,  and  of  the  clearest  na- 
ture. He  had  been  recognized  as  an  old  schoolfellow,  by 
one  of  the  governors  of  the  colony,  and  it  was  at  this  gen- 
tleman's suggestion  that  he  had  taken  so  much  pains  to  per- 
petuate the  evidence  of  his  identity.  Both  the  marriages, 
one  with  Jane  Beverly,  and  the  other  with  Rebecca  Ran- 
dolph, were  fully  substantiated,  as  were  the  two  births. 
The  personal  identity  of  the  young  man,  and  this  too  as  the 
only  son  of  Wycherly,  the  eldest  son  of  Gregor}%  was  well 
certified  to,  and  in  a  way  that  could  leave  no  doubt  as  to  the 
person  meant.  In  a  word,  the  proofs  were  such  as  a  careful 
and  experienced  lawyer  would  have  prepared,  in  a  case  that 
admitted  of  no  doubt,  and  which  was  liable  to  be  contested 
in  a  court  of  law.  Sir  Reginald  was  quite  half  an  hour  in 
looking  over  the  papers;  and  during  this  time,  every  eye  in 
the  room  was  on  him,  watching  the  expression  of  his  coun- 
tenance with  the  utmost  solicitude.  At  length,  he  finished 
his  task,  when  he  again  turned  to  Wycherly. 

"  These  papers  have  been  prepared  with  great  method, 
and  an  acute  knowledge  of  what  might  be  required,"  he  said. 
"Why  have  they  been  so  long  suppressed,  and  why  did  you 
permit  Sir  Wycherly  to  die  in  ignorance  of  your  near  affin- 
ity to  him,  and  of  your  claims?" 

"  Of  my  claims  I  was  ignorant  myself,  believing  not  only 
Mr.  Thomas  Wychecombe,  but  his  two  brothers,  to  stand 
before  me.  This  was  the  opinion  of  my  grandfather,  even 
when  he  caused  these  proofs  to  be  perpetuated.  They  were 
given  to  me  that  I  might  claim  affinity  to  the  family  on  my 
arrival  in  England;  and  it  was  the  injunction  of  my  grand- 
father that  they  should  be  worn  on  my  person,  until  the 
moment  arrived  when  I  could  use  them." 

"  This  explains  your  not  preferring  the  claim — why  not 
prefer  the  relationship?" 

"What  for,  sir?  I  found  America  and  Americans  looked 
down  on,  in  England — colonists  spoken  of  as  a  race  of  infe- 
rior beings — of  diminished  stature,  feebler  intellects,  and  a 


254  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

waning  spirit,  as  compared  to  those  from  whom  they  had  so 
recently  sprung;  and  I  was  too  proud  to  confess  an  affinity 
where  I  saw  it  was  not  desired.  When  wounded,  and  ex- 
pecting to  die,  I  was  landed  here,  at  my  own  request,  with 
an  intention  to  state  the  facts;  but,  falling  under  the  care 
of  ministering  angels" — here  Wycherly  glanced  his  eye  at 
Mildred  and  her  mother — "  I  less  felt  the  want  of  relatives. 
Sir  Wycherly  I  honored;  but  he  too  manifestly  regarded  us 
Americans  as  inferiors,  to  leave  any  wish  to  tell  him  I  was 
his  great-nephew." 

"  I  fear  we  are  not  altogether  free  from  this  reproach,  Sir 
Gervaise,"  observed  Sir  Reginald  thoughtfully.  "We  do 
appear  to  think  there  is  something  in  the  air  of  this  part  of 
the  island  that  renders  us  better  than  common.  Nay,  if  a 
claim  comes  from  oi^cr  water ^  let  it  be  what  it  may,  it  strikes 
us  as  a  foreign  and  inadmissible  claim.  The  fate  from 
which  even  princes  are  not  exempt,  humbler  men  must  cer- 
tainly submit  to!" 

"  I  can  understand  the  feeling,  and  I  think  it  honorable 
to  the  young  man.  Admiral  Bluewater,  you  and  I  have  had 
occasion  often  to  rebuke  this  very  spirit  in  our  young 
officers;  and  you  will  agree  with  me  when  I  say  that  this 
gentleman  has  acted  naturally,  in  acting  as  he  has." 

"  I  must  corroborate  what  you  say,  Sir  Gervaise,"  an- 
swered Bluewater;  "and,  as  one  who  has  seen  much  of  the 
colonies,  and  who  is  getting  to  be  an  old  man,  I  venture  to 
predict  that  this  very  feeling,  sooner  or  later,  will  draw  down 
upon  England  its  own  consequences,  in  the  shape  of  condign 
punishment." 

"  I  don't  go  as  far  as  that,  Dick — I  don't  go  as  far  as  that. 
But  it  is  unwise  and  unsound,  and  we,  who  know  both  hem- 
ispheres, ought  to  set  our  faces  against  it.  We  have  already 
some  gallant  fellows  from  that  quarter  of  the  world  among 
us,  and  I  hope  to  live  to  see  more." 

This,  let  it  be  remembered,  was  said  before  the  Hallo 
wells,  and  Coffins,  and  Brentons  of  our  own  times  were  en- 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  2$ 5 

rolled  in  a  service  that  has  since  become  foreign  to  that  of 
the  land  of  their  birth;  but  it  was  prophetic  of  their  appear- 
ance, and  of  that  of  many  other  high  names  from  the  colo- 
nies, in  the  lists  of  the  British  marine.  Wycherly  smiled 
proudly,  but  he  made  no  answer.  All  this  time,  Sir  Regi- 
nald had  been  musing  on  what  had  passed. 

"It  would  seem,  gentlemen,"  the  latter  now  observed, 
"that,  contrary  to  our  belief,  there  is  an  heir  to  the  baro- 
netcy, as  well  as  to  the  estate  of  Wychecombe;  and  all  our 
regrets  that  the  late  incumbent  did  not  live  to  execute  the 
will  we  had  drawn  at  his  request  have  become  useless.  Sir 
Wycherly  Wychecombe,  I  congratulate  you  on  thus  succeed- 
ing to  the  honors  and  estates  of  your  family ;  and,  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  last,  I  may  be  permitted  to  congratulate  all  of  the 
name  in  being  so  worthily  represented.  For  one  of  that 
family  I  cheerfully  recognize  you  as  its  head  and  chief." 

Wycherly  bowed  his  acknowledgments,  receiving  also  the 
compliments  of  most  of  the  others  present.  Tom  Wyche- 
combe, however,  formed  an  exception,  and,  instead  of  mani- 
festing any  disposition  to  submit  to  this  summary  disposal 
of  his  claims,  he  was  brooding  over  the  means  of  maintain- 
ing them.  Detecting  by  the  countenances  of  the  upper  ser- 
vants that  they  were  effectually  bribed  by  his  promise  to 
pay  the  late  baronet's  legacies,  he  felt  tolerably  confident  of 
support  from  that  quarter.  He  well  knew  that  possession 
was  nine  points  of  the  law,  and  his  thoughts  naturally  turned 
toward  the  means  necessary  to  securing  this  great  advantage. 
As  yet,  the  two  claimants  were  on  a  par,  in  this  respect;  for 
while  the  executed  will  might  seem  to  give  him  a  superior 
claim,  no  authority  that  was  derived  from  an  insufficient, 
source  would  be  deemed  available  in  law;  and  Sir  Wycherly 
had  clearly  no  right  to  devise  Wychecombe,  so  long  as 
there  existed  an  heir  of  entail.  Both  parties,  too,  were 
merely  guests  in  the  house ;  so  that  neither  had  any  posses- 
sion that  would  require  a  legal  process  to  eject  him.  Tom 
had  been  entered  at  the  Temple,  and  had  some  knowledge 


256  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

of  the  law  of  the  land,  more  especially  as  related  to  real 
estate;  and  he  was  aware  that  there  existed  some  quaint 
ceremony  of  taking  possession,  as  it  existed  under  the  feu- 
dal system ;  but  he  was  ignorant  of  the  precise  forms,  and 
had  some  reasonable  doubts  how  far  they  would  benefit  him, 
under  the  peculiar  circumstances  of  this  case.  On  the 
whole,  therefore,  he  was  disposed  to  try  the  effect  of  intimi- 
dation, by  means  of  the  advantages  he  clearly  possessed, 
and  of  such  little  reason  as  the  facts  connected  with  his 
claim  allowed  him  to  offer. 

"  Sir  Reginald  Wychecombe,"  he  said  gravely,  and  with 
as  much  indifference  as  he  could  assume ;  "  you  have  betrayed 
a  facility  of  belief  in  this  American  history  that  has  sur- 
prised me  in  one  with  so  high  a  reputation  for  prudence  and 
caution.  This  sudden  revival  of  the  dead  may  answer  for 
the  credulous  lovers  of  marvels,  but  it  would  hardly  do  for 
a  jury  of  twelve  sober-minded  and  sworn  men.  Admitting 
the  whole  of  this  gentleman's  statement  to  be  true,  however, 
you  will  not  deny  the  late  Sir  Wycherly's  right  to  make  a 
will,  if  he  only  devised  his  old  shoes;  and,  having  this 
right,  that  of  naming  his  executor  necessarily  accompanied 
it.  Now,  sir,  I  am  clearly  that  executor,  and  as  such  I  de- 
mand leave  to  exercise  my  functions  in  this  house,  as  its 
temporary  master  at  least." 

''  Not  so  fast — not  so  fast,  young  sir.  Wills  must  be 
proved  and  executors  qualified,  before  either  has  any  valid- 
ity. Then,  again,  Sir  Wycherly  could  only  give  authority 
over  that  which  was  his  own.  The  instant  he  ceased  to 
breathe,  his  brother  Gregory's  grandson  became  the  life- 
tenant  of  this  estate,  the  house  included;  and  I  advise  him 
to  assert  that  right,  trusting  to  the  validity  of  his  claim  for 
his  justification  in  law,  should  it  become  necessary.  In 
these  matters  he  who  is  right  is  safe;  while  he  who  is  wrong 
must  take  the  consequences  of  his  own  acts.  Mr.  Furlong, 
your  stewardship  ceased  with  the  life  of  your  principal;  if 
you  have  any  keys  or  papers  to  deliver,  I  advise  your  plac- 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  25/ 

ing  them  in  the  hands  of  this  gentleman,  whom,  beyond  all 
cavil,  I  take  to  be  the  rightful  Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe." 

Furlong  was  a  cautious,  clear-headed,  honest  man,  and, 
with  every  desire  to  see  Tom  defeated,  he  was  tenacious  of 
doing  his  duty.  He  led  Sir  Reginald  aside,  therefore,  and 
examined  him,  at  some  length,  touching  the  nature  of  the 
proofs  that  had  been  offered;  until,  quite  satisfied  that  there 
could  be  no  mistake,  he  declared  his  willingness  to  comply 
with  the  request. 

"  Certainly,  I  hold  the  keys  of  the  late  Sir  Wycherly's 
papers — those  that  have  just  been  seen  in  the  search  for  the 
will,"  he  said,  "  and  have  every  wish  to  place  them  in  the 
hands  of  their  proper  owner.  Here  they  are,  Sir  Wycherly ; 
though  I  would  advise  you  to  remove  the  bags  of  gold  that 
are  in  the  secretary,  to  some  other  place ;  as  those  your  uncle 
had  a  right  to  bequeath  to  whom  he  saw  fit.  Everything  else 
in  the  secretary  goes  with  the  estate;  as  do  the  plate,  furni- 
ture, and  other  heirlooms  of  the  Hall." 

"  I  thank  you,  Mr.  Furlong,  and  I  will  first  use  these  keys 
to  follow  your  advice,"  answered  the  new  baronet;  "then  I 
will  return  them  to  you  with  a  request  that  you  will  still 
retain  the  charge  of  all  your  former  duties." 

This  was  no  sooner  said  than  done ;  Wycherly  placing  the 
bags  of  gold  on  the  floor,  until  some  other  place  of  security 
could  be  provided. 

"  All  that  I  legally  can.  Sir  Wycherly,  will  I  cheerfully 
do,  in  order  to  aid  you  in  the  assertion  of  your  right; 
though  I  do  not  see  how  I  can  transfer  more  than  I  hold. 
Quifacitperaliiim^facitpcrse^  is  good  law.  Sir  Reginald; 
but  the  principal  must  have  power  to  act,  before  the  deputy 
can  exercise  authority.  It  appears  to  me  that  this  is  a  case 
in  which  each  party  stands  on  his  own  rights,  at  his  own 
peril.  The  possession  of  the  farms  is  safe  enough,  for  the 
time  being,  with  the  tenants;  but  as  to  the  Hall  and  Park, 
there  would  seem  to  be  no  one  in  the  legal  occupancy.  This 
makes  a  case  in  which  title  is  immediately  available." 
17 


258  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"  Such  is  the  law,  Mr.  Furlong,  and  I  advise  SirWycherly 
to  take  possession  of  the  key  of  the  outer  door  at  once,  as 
master  of  the  tenement." 

No  sooner  was  this  opinion  given,  than  Wycherly  left  the 
room,  followed  by  all  present  to  the  hall.  Here  he  pro- 
ceeded alone  to  the  vestibule,  locked  the  great  door  of  the 
building,  and  put  the  key  in  his  pocket.  This  act  was 
steadily  performed,  and  in  a  way  to  counteract,  in  a  great 
degree,  the  effect  on  the  domestics  of  Tom's  promises  con- 
cerning the  legacies.  At  the  same  moment.  Furlong  whis- 
pered something  in  the  ear  of  Sir  Reginald. 

"  Now  you  are  quietly  in  possession,  Sir  Wycherly,"  said 
the  latter,  smiling;  "there  is  no  necessity  of  keeping  us  all 
prisoners  in  order  to  maintain  your  claims.  David,  the 
usual  porter,  Mr.  Furlong  tells  me,  is  a  faithful  servant,  and, 
if  he  will  accept  of  the  key  as  your  agent,  it  may  be  returned 
to  him  with  perfect  legal  safety." 

As  David  cheerfully  assented  to  this  proposition,  the  key 
was  put  into  his  hands  again,  and  the  new  Sir  Wycherly 
was  generally  thought  to  be  in  possession.  Nor  did  Tom 
dare  to  raise  the  contemplated  question  of  his  own  legiti- 
macy before  Sir  Reginald,  who,  he  had  discovered,  pos- 
sessed a  clew  to  the  facts;  and  he  consequently  suppressed, 
for  the  moment  at  least,  the  certificate  of  marriage  he  had 
so  recently  forged.  Bowing  round  to  the  whole  company, 
therefore,  with  a  sort  of  sarcastic  compliance,  he  stalked  off 
to  his  own  room  with  the  air  of  an  injured  man.  This  left 
our  young  hero  in  possession  of  the  field;  but,  as  the  condi- 
tion of  the  house  was  not  one  suitable  to  an  unreasonable 
display  of  triumph,  the  party  soon  separated;  some  to  con- 
sult concerning  the  future,  some  to  discourse  of  the  past, 
and  all  to  wonder,  more  or  less,  at  the  present. 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  259 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

'  Let  winds  be  shrill,  let  waves  roll  high, 

I  fear  not  wave  nor  wind  ; 

Yet  marvel  not,  Sir  Childe,  that  I 

Am  sorrowful  of  mind." 

Childe  Harold. 

"  Well,  Sir  Jarvy,"  said  Galleygo,  following  on  the  heels 
of  the  two  admirals,  as  the  latter  entered  the  dressing-room 
of  the  officer  addressed;  "it  has  turned  out  just  as  I 
thought;  and  the  County  of  Fair-villain  has  come  out  of 
his  hole,  like  a  porpoise  coming  up  to  breathe,  the  moment 
our  backs  is  turned !  As  soon  as  we  gives  the  order  to 
square  away  for  England,  and  I  see  the  old  Planter's  cabin 
windows  turned  upon  France,  I  foreseed  them  consequences. 
Well,  gentlemen,  here's  been  a  heap  of  prize-money  made  in 
this  house  without  much  fighting.  We  shall  have  to  give 
the  young  lieutenant  a  leave,  for  a  few  months,  in  order  that 
he  may  take  his  swing  ashore,  here,  among  his  brother 
squires !" 

"Pray,  sir,  what  may  be  your  pleasure?"  demanded  Sir 
Gervaise;  "and  what  the  devil  has  brought  you  at  my 
heels?" 

"  Why,  big  ships  always  tows  small  craft,  your  honor," 
returned  Galleygo,  simpering.  "  Howsever,  I  never  comes 
without  an  errand,  as  everybody  knows.  You  see,  Sir 
Jarvy — you  see.  Admiral  Blue,  that  our  signal-officer  is 
ashore,  with  a  report  for  us;  and  meeting  me  in  the  hall,  he 
made  it  to  me  first  like,  that  I  might  bring  it  up  to  you  a'ter- 
ward.  His  news  is  that  the  French  county  is  gone  to  sea, 
as  I  has  just  told  you,  gentlemen." 

"  Can  it  be  possible  that  Bunting  has  brought  any  such 
tidings  here!  Harkee,  Galleygo;  desire  Mr.  Bunting  to 
walk  up ;  and  then  see  that  you  behave  yourself  as  is  decent 
in  a  house  of  mourning." 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir.     No  fears  of  I,  gentlemen.     I  can  put  on  as 


26o  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

grievous  a  look  as  the  best  on  'em,  and  if  they  wishes  to  see 
sorrow  becomingly,  and  ship-shape,  let  them  study  my  con- 
duct and  countenance.  We  has  all  seen  dead  men  afore 
now,  gentlemen,  as  we  all  knows.  When  we  fou't  Moun- 
sheer  Graveland  [Gravelin],  we  had  forty-seven  slain,  be- 
sides the  hurt  that  lived  to  tell  their  own  pain;  and  when 
we  had  the " 

"Go  to  the  devil.  Master  Galleygo,  and  desire  Mr.  Bunt- 
ing to  walk  up-stairs,"  cried  Sir  Gervaise  impatiently. 

*' Ay,  ay,  sir.     Which  will  your  honor  have  done  first?" 

"Let  me  see  the  signal-officer,yf^i-/,"  answered  the  vice- 
admiral,  laughing;  "then  be  certain  of  executing  the  other 
order." 

"Well,"  muttered  Galleygo,  as  he  descended  the  stairs; 
"  if  I  was  to  do  as  he  says,  now,  what  would  we  do  with  the 
fleet  ?  Ships  wants  orders  to  fight ;  and  flags  wants  food  to 
give  orders;  and  food  wants  stewards  to  be  put  upon  the 
table;  and  stewards  wants  no  devils  to  help  'em  do  their 
duty.  No — no — Sir  Jarvy;  I'll  not  pay  that  visit,  till  we 
all  goes  in  company,  as  is  suitable  for  them  that  has  sailed 
so  long  together." 

"This  will  be  great  news,  Dick,  if  de  Vervillin  has  really 
come  out!"  cried  Sir  Gervaise,  rubbing  his  hands  with  de- 
light. "  Hang  me,  if  I  wait  for  orders  from  London ;  but 
we'll  sail  with  the  first  wind  and  tide.  Let  them  settle  the 
quarrel  at  home,  as  they  best  can;  it  is  our  business  to 
catch  the  Frenchman.  How  many  ships  do  you  really  sup- 
pose the  count  to  have?" 

"Twelve  of  two  decks,  besides  one  three-decker,  and 
beating  us  in  frigates.  Two  or  three,  however,  are  short 
vessels,  and  cannot  be  quite  as  heavy  as  our  own.  I  see  no 
reason  why  we  should  not  engage  him." 

"  I  rejoice  to  hear  you  say  so!  How  much  more  honora- 
ble is  it  to  seek  the  enemy,  than  to  be  intriguing  about  a 
court !  I  hope  you  intend  to  let  me  announce  that  red  riband 
in  general  orders  to-morrow,  Dick?" 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  26l 

"Never,  with  my  consent,  Sir  Gervaise,  so  long  as  the 
house  of  Hanover  confers  the  boon.  But  what  an  extraor- 
dinary scene  we  have  just  had  below!  This  young  lieuten- 
ant is  a  noble  fellow,  and  I  hope,  with  all  my  heart,  he  will 
be  enabled  to  make  good  his  claim." 

"Of  that  Sir  Reginald  assures  me  there  can  be  no  man- 
ner of  doubt.  His  papers  are  in  perfect  order,  and  his  story 
simple  and  probable.  Do  you  not  remember  hearing,  when 
we  were  midshipmen  in  the  West  Indies,  of  a  lieutenant  of 
the  Sappho's  striking  a  senior  officer,  ashore;  and  of  his 
having  been  probably  saved  from  the  sentence  of  death,  by 
the  loss  of  the  ship?" 

"  As  well  as  if  it  were  yesterday,  now  you  name  the  ves- 
sel.'  And  this  you  suppose  to  have  been  the  late  Sir 
Wycherly's  brother.     Did  he  belong  to  the  Sappho?" 

"  So  they  tell  me,  below ;  and  it  leaves  no  doubt  on  my 
mind  of  the  truth  of  the  whole  story." 

"  It  is  a  proof,  too,  how  easy  it  is  for  one  to  return  to 
England,  and  maintain  his  rights,  after  an  absence  of  more 
than  half  a  century.  He  in  Scotland  has  a  claim  quite  as 
strong  as  that  of  this  youth!" 

"  Dick  Bluewater,  you  seem  determined  to  pull  a  house 
down  about  your  own  ears !  What  have  you  or  I  to  do  with 
these  Scotch  adventurers,  when  a  gallant  enemy  invites  us 
to  come  out  and  meet  him !     But  mum — here  is  Bunting." 

At  this  instant  the  signal-lieutenant  of  the  Plantagenet 
was  shown  into  the  room,  by  Galleygo,  in  person. 

"Well,  Bunting;  what  tidings  from  the  fleet?"  demanded 
Sir  Gervaise.     "  Do  the  ships  still  ride  to  the  flood?" 

"  It  is  slack  water.  Sir  Gervaise,  and  the  vessels  are  look- 
ing all  ways  at  once.  Most  of  us  are  clearing  hawse,  for 
there  are  more  round  turns  in  our  cables  than  I  remember 
ever  to  have  seen  in  so  short  a  time." 

"That  comes  of  there  being  no  wind,  and  the  uselessness 
of  the  staysails  and  spankers.  What  has  brought  you  ashore  ? 
Galleygo  tells  us  something  of  a  cutter's  coming  in,  with 


262  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

information  that  the  French  are  out ;  but  his  news  is  usually 
galley -ViQ.\NS  J' 

"  Not  always,  Sir  Gervaise,"  returned  the  lieutenant,  cast- 
ing a  side  look  at  the  steward,  who  often  comforted  him 
with  ship's  delicacies  in  the  admiral's  cabin;  "this  time,  he 
is  right,  at  least.  The  Active  is  coming  in  slowly,  and  has 
been  signalling  us  all  the  morning.  We  make  her  out  to 
say  that  Monsieur  Vervillin  is  at  sea  with  his  whole  force." 

"  Yes,"  muttered  Galleygo  to  the  rear-admiral,  in  a  sort 
of  aside ;  *'  the  County  of  Fairvillain  has  come  out  of  his 
hole,  just  as  I  told  Sir  Jarvy.  Fair-weather-villains  they 
all  is,  and  no  bones  broken." 

"  Silence — and  you  think,  Bunting,  you  read  the  signals 
clearly?" 

"  No  doubt  of  it.  Sir  Gervaise.  Captain  Greenly  is  of 
the  same  opinion,  and  has  sent  me  ashore  with  the  news. 
He  desired  me  to  tell  you  that  the  ebb  would  make  in  half 
an  hour,  and  that  we  can  then  fetch  past  the  rocks  to  the 
westward,  light  as  the  wind  is." 

"Ay,  that  is  Greenly,  I  can  swear! — He'll  not  sit  down 
until  we  are  all  aweigh,  and  standing  out.  Does  the  cutter 
tell  us  which  way  the  count  was  looking.'*" 

"To  the  westward,  sir;  on  an  easy  bowline,  and  under 
short  canvas." 

"  The  gentleman  is  in  no  hurry,  it  would  seem.  Has  he 
a  convoy .''" 

"  Not  a  sail,  sir.  Nineteen  sail,  all  cruisers,  and  only 
twelve  of  the  line.  He  has  one  two-decker,  and  two  frigates 
more  than  we  can  muster;  just  a  Frenchman's  odds,  sir." 

"  The  count  has  certainly  with  him  the  seven  new  ships 
that  were  built  last  season,"  quietly  observed  Bluewater, 
leaning  back  in  his  easy-chair,  until  his  body  inclined  at 
an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees,  and  stretching  a  leg  on  an 
empty  stand,  in  his  usual  self-indulgent  manner.  "They 
are  a  little  heavier  than  their  old  vessels,  and  will  give  us 
harder  work." 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  263 

*'  The  tougher  the  job,  the  more  creditable  the  workman- 
ship.    The  tide  is  turning,  you  say,  Bunting.?" 

"It  is,  Sir  Gervaise;  and  we  shall  all  tend  ebb,  in  twenty 
minutes.  The  frigates  outside  are  riding  down  channel 
already.  The  Chloe  seems  to  think  that  we  shall  be  mov- 
ing coon,  as  she  has  crossed  topgallant  and  royal  yards. 
Even  Captain  Greenly  was  thinking  of  stretching  along  the 
messenger." 

"  Ah !  you're  a  set  of  uneasy  fellows,  all  round ! — You  tire 
of  your  native  land  in  twenty-four  hours,  I  find.  Well,  Mr. 
Bunting,  you  can  go  off,  and  say  that  all  is  very  well. 
This  house  is  in  a  sad  state  of  confusion,  as  I  presume,  you 
know.     Mention  this  to  Captain  Greenly." 

"  Ay  ay  sir;  is  it  your  pleasure  I  should  tell  him  anything 
else,  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes?" 

"  Why — yes — Bunting,"  answered  the  vice-admiral,  smil- 
ing; "you  may  as  well  give  him  a  hint  to  get  all  his  fresh 
grub  off,  as  fast  as  he  can — and — yes;  to  let  no  more  men 
quit  the  ship  on  liberty." 

"Anything  more,  Sir  Gervaise?"  added  the  pertinacious 
officer. 

"  On  the  whole,  you  may  as  well  run  up  a  signal  to  be 
ready  to  unmoor.  The  ships  can  very  well  ride  at  single 
anchors,  when  the  tide  has  once  fairly  made.  What  say 
you,  Bluewater?" 

"  A  signal  to  unmoor,  at  once,  would  expedite  matters. 
You  know  very  well  you  intend  to  go  to  sea,  and  why  not  do 
the  thing  off-hand?" 

"  I  dare  say,  now,  Bunting,  you  too  w^ould  like  to  give  the 
commander-in-chief  a  nudge  of  some  sort  or  other." 

"  If  I  could  presume  so  far.  Sir  Gervaise.  I  can  only 
say,  sir,  that  the  sooner  we  are  off,  the  sooner  we  shall  flog 
the  French," 

"And  Master  Galleygo,  what  are  your  sentiments  on  this 
occasion?  It  is  a  full  council,  and  all  ought  to  speak 
freely." 


264  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"You  knows,  Sir  Jarvy,  that  I  never  speaks  in  these  mat- 
ters unless  spoken  to.  Admiral  Blue  and  your  honor  are 
quite  enough  to  take  care  of  the  fleet  in  most  circumstances, 
though  there  is  some  knowledge  in  the  tops,  as  well  as  in 
the  cabin.  My  ideas  is,  gentlemen,  that  by  casting  to  star- 
board on  this  ebb  tide,  we  shall  all  have  our  heads  off-shore, 
and  we  shall  fetch  into  the  offing  as  easily  as  a  country 
wench  turns  in  a  jig.  What  we  shall  do  with  the  fleet,  when 
we  gets  out,  will  be  shown  in  our  ultra  movements." 

By  "  ultra,"  David  meant  "  ulterior,"  a  word  he  had  caught 
up  from  hearing  despatches  read,  which  he  understood  no 
better  than  those  who  wrote  them  at  the  Admiralty. 

"Thanks  to  you  all,  my  friends!"  cried  Sir  Gervaise,  who 
was  so  delighted  at  the  prospect  of  a  general  engagement 
that  he  felt  a  boyish  pleasure  in  this  fooling;  "and  now  to 
business,  seriously.  Mr.  Bunting,  I  would  have  the  signal 
for  sailing  shown.  Let  each  ship  fire  a  recall-gun  for  her 
boats.  Half  an  hour  later,  show  the  bunting  to  unmoor; 
and  send  my  boat  ashore  as  soon  as  you  begin  to  heave  on 
the  capstan.  So,  good-morning,  my  fine  fellow,  and  show 
your  activity." 

"  Mr.  Bunting,  as  you  pass  the  Caesar,  do  me  the  favor  to 
ask  for  my  boat  also,"  said  Bluewater  lazily,  but  half-rais- 
ing his  body  to  look  after  the  retiring  lieutenant.  "  If  we 
are  to  move,  I  suppose  I  shall  have  to  go  with  the  rest  of 
them.     Of  course  we  shall  repeat  all  your  signals." 

Sir  Gervaise  waited  until  Bunting  was  out  of  the  room, 
when  he  turned  to  the  steward,  and  said  with  some  dryness 
of  manner : 

"  Mr.  Galleygo,  you  have  my  permission  to  go  on  board, 
bag  and  baggage." 

"Yes,  Sir  Jarvy,  I  understands.  We  are  about  to  get  the 
ships  under  way,  and  good  men  ought  to  be  in  their  places. 
Good-by,  Admiral  Blue.  We  shall  meet  before  the  face  of 
the  French,  and  then  I  expects  every  man  on  us  will  set  an 
example  to  himself  of  courage  and  devotion." 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  265 

"That  fellow  grows  worse  and  worse  each  day,  and  I 
shall  have  to  send  him  forward,  in  order  to  check  his  im- 
pertinence," said  Sir  Gervaise,  half-vexed  and  half-laugh- 
ing. "  I  wonder  you  stand  his  saucy  familiarity  as  well  as 
you  appear  to  do — with  his  Admiral  Blues!" 

"I  shall  take  offence  as  soon  as  I  find  Sir  Jarvy  really 
out  of  humor  with  him.  The  man  is  brave,  honest,  and 
attached;  and  these  are  virtues  that  would  atone  for  a 
hundred  faults." 

"  Let  the  fellow  go  to  the  devil! — Do  you  not  think  I  had 
better  go  out,  without  waiting  for  despatches  from  town?" 

*' It  is  hard  to  say.  Your  orders  may  send  us  all  down 
into  Scotland  to  face  Charles  Stuart.  Perhaps,  too,  they 
may  make  you  a  duke,  and  me  a  baron,  in  order  to  secure 
our  fidelity!" 

"The  blackguards! — well,  say  no  more  of  that,  just  now. 
If  M.  de  Vervillin  is  steering  to  the  westward,  he  can  hardly 
be  aiming  at  Edinburgh,  and  the  movements  in  the  north," 

"That  is  by  no  means  so  certain.  Your  really  politic 
fellows  usually  look  one  way  and  row  another." 

"  It  is  my  opinion  that  his  object  is  to  effect  a  diversion, 
and  my  wish  is  to  give  it  to  him,  to  his  heart's  content.  So 
long  as  this  force  is  kept  near  the  chops  of  the  Channel,  it 
can  do  no  harm  in  the  north,  and,  insomuch,  must  leave  the 
road  to  Germany  open." 

"  For  one,  I  think  it  a  pity — not  to  say  a  disgrace — that 
England  cannot  settle  her  own  quarrels  without  calling  in 
the  aid  of  either  Frenchman  or  Dutchman." 

"We  must  take  the  world  as  it  is,  Dick,  and  act  like  two 
straightforward  seamen,  without  stopping  to  talk  politics. 
I  take  it  for  granted,  notwithstanding  your  Stuart  fervor, 
that  you  are  willing  enough  to  help  me  thresh  Monsieur  de 
Vervillin." 

"  Beyond  a  question.  Nothing  but  the  conviction  that  he 
was  directly  employed  in  serving  my  natural  and  legitimate 
prince  could   induce   me   to   show   him    any  favor.     Still, 


266  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

Oakes,  it  is  possible  he  may  have  succors  for  the  Scotch  on 
board,  and  be  bound  to  the  north  by  the  way  of  the  Irish 
channel!" 

"Ay,  pretty  succors,  truly,  for  an  Englishman  to  stomach! 
Mousquetaires^  and  r/giments  de  Croy,  or  de  Dillon,  or  some 
d — d  French  name  or  other;  and,  perhaps,  beautiful  mus- 
kets from  the  Bois  de  Vincemies ;  or  some  other  infernal  nest 
of  Gallic  inventions  to  put  down  the  just  ascendency  of  old 
England!  No — no — Dick  Bluewater,  your  excellent,  loyal, 
true-hearted  English  mother  never  bore  you  to  be  a  dupe  of 
Bourbon  perfidy  and  trick.  I  dare  say  she  sickened  at  the 
very  name  of    Louis!" 

"  I'll  not  answer  for  that.  Sir  Jarvy,"  returned  the  rear- 
admiral,  with  a  vacant  smile;  "for  she  passed  some  time  at 
the  court  of  le  Gra?id  Motiarque.  But  all  this  is  idle ;  we 
know  each  other's  opinions,  and,  by  this  time,  ought  to 
know  each  other's  characters.  Have  you  digested  any  plan 
for  your  future  operations;  and  what  part  am  I  to  play 
in  it?" 

Sir  Gervaise  paced  the  room,  with  hands  folded  behind 
his  back,  in  an  air  of  deep  contemplation,  for  quite  five 
minutes,  before  he  answered.  All  this  time  Bluewater  le- 
mained  watching  his  countenance  and  movements,  in  antici- 
pation of  what  was  to  come.  At  length,  the  vice-admiral 
appeared  to  have  made  up  his  mind,  and  he  delivered  him- 
self of  his  decision,  as  follows: 

"  I  have  reflected  on  them,  Dick,"  he  said,  "  even  while 
my  thoughts  have  seemed  to  be  occupied  with  the  concerns 
of  others.  If  de  Vervillin  is  out,  he  must  still  be  to  the 
eastward  of  us;  for,  running  as  the  tides  do  on  the  French 
coast,  he  can  hardly  have  made  much  westing  with  this  light 
southwest  wind.  We  are  yet  uncertain  of  his  destination, 
and  it  is  all-important  that  we  get  immediate  sight  of  him, 
and  keep  him  in  view,  until  he  can  be  brought  to  action. 
Now,  my  plan  is  this.  I  will  send  out  the  ships  in  succes- 
sion, with  orders  to  keep  on  an  easy  bowline,  until  each 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  26/ 

reaches  the  chops  of  the  Channel,  when  she  is  to  go  about 
and  stand  in  toward  the  English  coast.  Each  succeeding 
vessel,  however,  will  weigh  as  soon  as  her  leader  is  hull 
down,  and  keep  within  signal  distance,  in  order  to  send  in- 
telligence through  the  whole  line.  Nothing  will  be  easier 
than  to  keep  in  sight  of  each  other  in  such  fine  weather; 
and  by  these  means  we  shall  spread  ?.  wide  clew, — quite  a 
hundred  miles, — and  command  the  whole  of  the  Channel. 
As  soon  as  Monsieur  de  Vervillin  is  made,  the  fleet  can 
close,  when  we  will  be  governed  by  circumstances.  Should 
we  see  nothing  of  the  French,  by  the  time  we  make  their 
coast,  we  may  be  certain  they  have  gone  up  Channel ;  and 
then  a  signal  from  the  van  can  reverse  the  order  of  sailing, 
and  we  will  chase  to  the  eastward,  closing  to  a  line  abreast 
as  fast  as  possible." 

"All  this  is  very  well,  certainly;  and  by  means  of  the 
frigates  and  smaller  cruisers  we  can  easily  sweep  a  hundred 
and  fifty  miles  of  ocean; — nevertheless,  the  fleet  will  be 
much  scattered." 

*'  You  do  not  think  there  will  be  any  danger  of  the  French's 
engaging  the  van  before  the  rear  can  close  to  aid  it?"  asked 
Sii  Gervaise  with  interest,  for  he  had  the  profoundest  re- 
spect for  his  friend's  professional  opinions.  "  I  intended 
to  lead  out  in  the  Plantagenet  myself,  and  to  have  five  or 
six  of  the  fastest  ships-  next  to  me,  with  a  view  that  we 
might  keep  off,  until  you  could  bring  up  the  rear.  If  they 
chase,  you  know  we  can  retire." 

"  Beyond  a  doubt,  if  Sir  Gervaise  Cakes  can  make  up  his 
mind  to  retire^  before  any  Frenchman  who  was  ever  born," 
returned  Bluewater,  laughing.  "  All  this  sounds  well;  but, 
in  the  event  of  a  meeting,  I  should  expect  to  find  you,  with 
the  whole  van  dismasted,  righting  your  hulks  like  bull-dogs, 
and  keeping  the  Count  at  bay,  leaving  the  glory  of  covering 
your  retreat  to  me." 

"No — no — Dick:  I'll  give  you  my  honor  I'll  do  nothing 
SO  boyish  and  silly.     I'm  a  different  man  at  fifty-five  from 


268  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

what  I  was  at  twenty-five.     You  may  be  certain  that  I  will 
run,  until  I  think  myself  strong  enough  to  fight." 

"  Will  you  allow  me  to  make  a  suggestion,  Admiral 
Oakes ;  and  this  wdth  all  the  frankness  that  ought  to  char- 
acterize our  ancient  friendship?" 

Sir  Gervaise  stopped  short  in  his  walk,  looked  Bluewater 
steadily  in  the  face,  and  nodded  his  head. 

"  I  understand  by  the  expression  of  your  countenance," 
continued  the  other,  "  that  I  am  expected  to  speak.  I  had 
no  more  to  say  than  to  make  the  simple  suggestion  that  your 
plan  would  be  most  likely  to  be  executed,  were  I  to  lead  the 
van,  and  -^qxq  you  to  bring  up  the  rear." 

"The  devil  you  do! — This  comes  as  near  mutiny — or 
scandalum  piagnatum — as  one  can  wish !  And  why  do  you 
suppose  that  the  plan  of  the  commander-in-chief  will  be 
least  in  danger  of  failing,  if  Admiral  Bluewater  lead  on 
this  occasion,  instead  of  Admiral  Oakes?" 

"  Merely  because  I  think  Admiral  Oakes,  when  an  enemy 
is  pressing  him,  is  more  apt  to  take  counsel  of  his  heart  than 
of  his  head;  while  Admiral  Bluewater  is  «<?/.  You  do  not 
know  yourself.  Sir  Jarvy,  if  you  think  it  so  easy  a  matter  to 
run  away." 

"  I've  spoiled  you,  Dick,  by  praising  your  foolish  manoeu- 
vring so  much  before  your  face,  and  that's  the  whole  truth 
of  the  matter.  No — my  mind  is  made  up;  and,  I  believe 
you  know  me  well  enough  to  feel  sure,  when  that  is  the 
case,  even  a  council  of  war  could  not  move  it.  /  lead  out, 
in  the  Jtrst  two-decked  ship  that  lifts  her  anchor,  and  you 
follow  in  the  last.  You  understand  my  plan,  and  will  see 
it  executed,  as  you  see  everything  executed,  in  face  of  the 
enemy." 

Admiral  Bluewater  smiled,  and  not  altogether  without 
irony  in  his  manner ;  though  he  managed,  at  the  same  time, 
to  get  the  leg  that  had  been  lowest  for  the  last  five  minutes 
raised,  by  an  ingenuity  peculiar  to  himself,  several  inches 
above  its  fellow. 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  269 

"Nature  never  made  you  for  a  conspirator,  Oakes,"  he 
said,  as  soon  as  this  change  was  effected  to  his  mind;  "for 
you  carry  a  top-light  in  your  breast  that  even  the  blind  can 
see!" 

"What  crotchet  is  uppermost  in  your  mind,  now,  Dick? 
Ar'n't  the  orders  plain  enough  to  suit  you?" 

"  I  confess  it; — as  well  as  the  motive  for  giving  them  just 
in  this  form." 

.    "Let's  have  it,  at  once.     I  prefer  a  full  broadside  to  your 
minute-guns.     What  is  my  motive?" 

"  Simply  that  you.  Sir  Jarvy,  say  to  a  certain  Sir  Gervaise 
Oakes,  Bart.,  Vice-Admiral  of  the  Red,  and  Member  for 
Bowldero,  in  your  own  mind,  'Now,  if  I  can  just  leave  that 
fellow,  Dick  Bluewater,  behind  me,  with  four  or  five  ships, 
he'll  never  desert  me^  when  in  front  of  the  enemy,  whatever 
he  might  do  with  King  George ;  and  so  I'll  make  sure  of 
him  by  placing  the  question  in  such  a  light  that  it  shall  be 
one  of  friendship,  rather  than  one  of  loyalty."' 

Sir  Gervaise  colored  to  the  temples,  for  the  other  had 
penetrated  into  his  most  secret  thoughts;  and,  yet,  spite  of 
his  momentary  vexation,  he  faced  his  accuser,  and  both 
laughed  in  the  heartfelt  manner  that  the  circumstance  would 
be  likely  to  excite. 

"  Harkee,  Dick,"  said  the  vice-admiral,  as  soon  as  he 
could  command  sufficient  gravity  to  speak;  "they  made  a 
mistake  when  they  sent  you  to  sea;  you  ought  to  have  been 
apprenticed  to  a  conjuror.  I  care  not  what  you  think  about 
it;  my  orders  are  given,  and  they  must  be  obeyed.  Have 
you  a  clear  perception  of  the  plan?" 

"  One  quite  as  clear,  I  tell  you,  as  I  have  of  the  motive." 

"Enough  of  this,  Bluewater;  we  have  serious  duties 
before  us." 

Sir  Gervaise  now  entered  more  at  length  into  his  scheme; 
explaining  to  his  friend  all  his  wishes  and  hopes,  and  let- 
ting him  know,  with  official  minuteness,  what  was  expected 
at  his  hands.     The  rear-admiral   listened  with  his  accus- 


2/0  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

tomed  respect,  whenever  anything  grave  was  in  discussion 
between  them;  and,  had  any  one  entered  while  they  were 
thus  engaged,  he  would  have  seen  in  the  manner  of  one 
nothing  but  the  dignified  frankness  of  a  friendly  superior, 
and  in  the  other  the  deference  which  the  naval  inferior 
usually  pays  to  rank.  As  he  concluded  Sir  Gervaise  rang 
ills  bell,  and  desired  the  presence  of  Sir  Wycherly  Wyche- 
combe. 

"  I  could  have  wished  to  remain  and  see  this  battle  for  the 
succession  fairly  fought,"  he  said ;  "  but  a  battle  of  a  differ- 
ent sort  calls  us  in  another  quarter.  Show  him  in,"  he 
added,  as  his  man  intimated  that  the  young  baronet  was  in 
waiting. 

"  What  between  the  duties  of  our  professional  stations, 
and  those  of  the  guest  to  the  host,"  said  the  vice-admiral, 
rising  and  bowing  to  the  young  man,  "  it  is  not  easy  to  set- 
tle the  question  of  etiquette  between  us.  Sir  Wycherly;  and 
I  have,  from  habit,  thought  more  of  the  admiral  and  the 
lieutenant,  than  of  the  lord  of  the  manor  and  his  obliged 
guests.     If  I  have  erred,  you  will  excuse  me." 

"  My  new  situation  is  so  very  novel  that  I  still  remain  all 
sailor.  Sir  Gervaise,"  answered  the  other,  smiling;  "  as  such 
I  hope  you  will  ever  consider  me.  Can  I  be  of  any  service, 
here?" 

"  One  of  our  cutters  has  just  come  in  with  news  that  will 
take  the  fleet  to  sea  again  this  morning;  or,  as  soon  as  the 
tide  begins  to  run  a  strong  ebb.  The  French  are  out,  and 
we  must  go  and  look  for  them.  It  was  my  intention  and 
my  hope  to  be  able  to  take  you  to  sea  with  me  in  the  Plan- 
tagenet.  The  date  of  your  commission  would  not  put  you 
very  high  among  her  lieutenants;  but  Bunting  deserves  a 
first  lieutenancy,  and  I  meant  to  give  it  to  him  this  after- 
noon, in  which  case  there  would  be  a  vacancy  in  the  situa- 
tion of  my  own  signal-officer,  a  duty  you  could  well  perform. 
As  it  is,  you  ought  not  to  quit  this  house,  and  I  must  take 
my  leave  of  you  with  regret  it  is  so." 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  2/1 

"  Admiral  Oakes,  what  is  there  that  ought  to  keep  one  of 
my  station  ashore,  on  the  eve  of  a  general  battle?  I  sin- 
cerely hope  and  trust  you  will  alter  the  last  determination, 
and  return  to  the  first." 

"  You  forget  your  own  important  interests — remember  that 
possession  is  nine  points  of  the  law." 

"We  had  heard  the  news  below,  and  Sir  Reginald,  Mr. 
Furlong,  and  myself  were  discussing  the  matter  when  I  re- 
ceived your  summons.  These  gentlemen  tell  me  that  pos- 
session can  be  held  by  deputy,  as  well  as  in  person.  I  am 
satisfied  we  can  dispose  of  this  objection." 

"  Your  grandfather's  brother,  and  the  late  head  of  your 
family,  lies  dead  in  this  house;  it  is  proper  his  successor 
should  be  present  at  his  funeral  obsequies." 

"  We  thought  of  that,  also.  Sir  Reginald  has  kindly 
offered  to  appear  in  my  place ;  and,  then,  there  is  the  chance 
that  the  meeting  with  Monsieur  de  Vervillin  will  take  place 
within  the  next  eight-and-forty  hours;  whereas  my  uncle 
cannot  be  interred  certainly  for  a  week  or  ten  days." 

"I  see  you  have  well  calculated  all  the  chances,  young 
sir,"  said  Sir  Gervaise,  smiling.  "  Bluewater,  how  does 
this  matter  strike  you?" 

"  Leave  it  in  my  hands,  and  I  will  see  to  it.  You  will 
sail  near  or  quite  twenty-four  hours  before  me,  and  there 
will  be  time  for  more  reflection.  Sir  Wycherly  can  remain 
with  me  in  the  Caesar,  in  the  action ;  or  he  can  be  thrown 
aboard  the  Plantagenet,  when  we  meet." 

After  a  little  reflection,  Sir  Gervaise,  who  liked  to  give 
every  one  a  fair  chance,  consented  to  the  arrangement,  and 
it  was  decided  that  Wycherly  should  come  out  in  the  Caesar, 
if  nothing  occurred  to  render  the  step  improper. 

This  arrangement  completed,  the  vice-admij-al  declared 
he  was  ready  to  quit  the  Hall.  Galleygo  and  the  other  ser- 
vants had  already  made  the  dispositions  necessary  for  em- 
barking, and  it  only  remained  to  take  leave  of  the  inmates 
of  the  dwelling.     The  parting  between   the  baronets  was 


272  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

friendly;  for  the  common  interest  they  felt  in  the  success 
of  Wycherly  had,  in  a  degree,  rendered  them  intimates,  and 
much  disposed  Sir  Reginald  to  overlook  the  sailor's  well- 
known  Whiggery.  Button  and  the  ladies  took  their  depar- 
ture at  the  same  time,  and  what  passed  between  them  and  Sir 
Gervaise  on  this  occasion  took  place  on  the  road  to  the 
headland,  whither  all  parties  proceeded  on  foot. 

A  person  so  important  as  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  did  not 
leave  the  roof  that  had  sheltered  him,  to  embark  on  board 
his  own  ship,  without  a  due  escort  to  the  shore.  Bluewater 
accompanied  him,  in  order  to  discuss  any  little  point  of 
duty  that  might  occur  to  the  mind  of  either,  at  the  last  mo- 
ment ;  and  Wycherly  was  of  the  group,  partly  from  profes- 
sional feeling,  and  more  from  a  desire  to  be  near  Mildred. 
Then  there  were  Atwood,  and  the  surgeons,  Mr.  Rotherham, 
and  two  or  three  of  the  cabin  attendants.  Lord  Geoffrey, 
too,  strolled  along  with  the  rest,  though  it  was  understood 
that  his  own  ship  would  not  sail  that  day. 

Just  as  the  party  issued  from  the  gate  of  the  park  into  the 
street  of  the  hamlet,  a  heavy  gun  was  fired  from  the  fleet. 
It  was  soon  succeeded  by  others,  and  whiffs  and  cornets 
were  seen  flying  from  the  mastheads  that  rose  above  the 
openings  in  the  cliffs,  the  signals  of  recall  for  all  boats. 
This  set  every  one  in  motion,  and,  never  within  the  memory 
of  ma^i,  had  Wychecombe  presented  such  a  scene  of  con- 
fusion and  activity.  Half-intoxicated  seamen  were  driven 
down  to  the  boats,  by  youngsters  with  the  cloth  diamond  in 
their  collars,  like  swine,  who  were  reluctant  to  go,  and  yet 
afraid  to  stay.  Quarters  of  beeves  were  trundled  along  in 
carts  or  barrows,  and  were  soon  seen  swinging  at  different 
mainstays;  while  the  gathering  of  eggs,  butter,  poultry, 
mutton,  lamb,  and  veal,  menaced  the  surrounding  country 
with  a  scarcity.  Through  this  throng  of  the  living  and  the 
dead,  our  party  held  its  way,  jostled  by  the  eager  country- 
men, and  respectfully  avoided  by  all  who  belonged  to  the 
fleet,  until  it  reached  the  point  where  the  roads  to  the  cliffs 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  2/3 

and  the  landing  separated,  when  the  vice-admiral  turned  to 
the  only  midshipman  present,  and,  courteously  lifting  his 
hat,  as  if  reluctant  to  impose  such  a  duty  on  a  "  young  gen- 
tleman" on  liberty,  he  said: 

"  Do  me  the  favor,  Lord  Geoffrey,  to  step  down  to  the 
landing  and  ascertain  if  my  barge  is  there.  The  officer  of 
the  boat  will  find  me  at  the  signal-station." 

The  boy  cheerfully  complied;  and  this  son  of  an  English 
duke,  who,  by  the  death  of  an  elder  brother,  became  in  time 
a  duke  himself,  went  on  a  service  that  among  gentlemen  of 
the  land  would  be  deemed  nearly  menial,  with  as  much  alac- 
rity as  if  he  felt  honored  by  the  request.  It  was  by  a  train- 
ing like  this  that  England  came,  in  time,  to  possess  a  marine 
that  has  achieved  so  many  memorable  deeds;  since  it  taught 
those  who  were  destined  to  command  the  high  and  useful 
lesson  how  to  obey. 

While  the  midshipman  was  gor\e  to  look  for  the  boat,  the 
two  admirals  walked  the  cliff,  side  by  side,  discussing  their 
future  movements;  and  when  all  was  ready,  Sir  Gervaise 
descended  to  the  shore,  using  the  very  path  by  which  he 
had  ascended  the  previous  day ;  and,  pushing  through  the 
throng  that  crowded  the  landing,  almost  too  much  engaged 
to  heed  even  his  approach,  he  entered  his  barge.  In  an- 
other minute,  the  measured  strokes  of  the  oars  urged  him 
swiftly  toward  the  Plantagenet. 
i3 


2^4  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

•*  'Twas  not  without  some  reason,  for  the  wind 

Increased  at  night  until  it  blew  a  gale  ; 
And  though  'twas  not  much  to  a  naval  mind, 

Some  landsmen  would  have  look'd  a  little  pale, 
For  sailors  are,  in  fact,  a  different  kind  ; 

At  sunset  they  began  to  take  in  sail, 
For  the  sky  show'd  it  would  come  on  to  blow, 
And  carry  away,  perhaps,  a  mast  or  so." 

Byron. 

As  it  was  just  past  the  turn  of  the  day,  Bluewater  deter- 
mined to  linger  on  the  cliffs  for  several  hours,  or  until  it 
was  time  to  think  of  his  dinner.  Abstracted  as  his  thoughts 
were  habitually,  his  mind  found  occupation  and  pleasure  in 
witnessing  the  evolutions  that  succeeded  among  the  ships; 
some  of  which  evolutions  it  may  be  well  now  briefly  to 
relate. 

Sir  Gervaise  Oakes'  foot  had  not  been  on  the  deck  of  the 
Plantagenet  five  minutes,  before  a  signal  for  all  comman- 
ders was  flying  at  that  vessel's  masthead.  In  ten  minutes 
more  every  captain  of  the  fleet,  with  the  exception  of  those 
belonging  to  the  vessels  in  the  offing,  were  in  the  flagship's 
cabin,  listening  to  the  intentions  and  instructions  of  the 
vice-admiral. 

''  My  plan  of  sailing,  gentlemen,  is  easily  comprehended," 
continued  the  commander-in-chief,  after  he  had  explained 
his  general  intentions  to  chase  and  engage ;  "  and  every  one 
of  you  will  implicitly  follow  it.  We  have  the  tide  strong  at 
ebb,  and  a  good  six-knot  breeze  is  coming  up  at  southwest. 
I  shall  weigh,  with  my  yards  square,  and  keep  them  so, 
until  the  ship  has  drawn  out  of  the  fleet,  and  then  I  shall 
luff  up  on  a  taut  bowline  and  on  the  starboard  tack,  bring- 
ing the  ebb  well  under  my  lee-bow.  This  will  hawse  the 
ship  over  toward  Morlaix,  and  bringing  us  quite  as  far  to 
windward  as  is  desirable.  While  the  ebb  lasts,  and  this 
breeze  stands,  we  shall  have  plain  sailing;  the  difficulty  will 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  2/5 

come  on  the  flood,  or  with  a  shift  of  wind.  The  ships  that 
come  out  last  must  be  careful  to  keep  their  seconds,  ahead 
and  astern,  in  plain  sight,  and  regulate  their  movements,  as 
much  as  they  can,  by  the  leading  vessels.  The  object  is  to 
spread  as  wide  a  clew  as  possible,  while  we  hold  the  ships 
within  signal-distance  of  each  other.  Toward  sunset  I  shall 
shorten  sail,  and  the  line  will  close  up  within  a  league  from 
vessel  to  vessel,  and  I  have  told  Bluewater  to  use  his  discre- 
tion about  coming  out  with  the  last  ships,  though  I  have 
requested  him  to  hold  on  as  long  as  he  shall  deem  it  pru- 
dent, in  the  hope  of  receiving  another  express  from  the  Ad- 
miralty. When  the  flood  makes,  I  do  not  intend  to  go 
about,  but  shall  continue  on  the  starboard  tack,  and  I  wish 
you  all  to  do  the  same.  This  will  bring  the  leading  ves- 
sels considerably  to  windward  of  those  astern,  and  may 
possibly  throw  the  fleet  into  a  bow  and  quarter  line.  Being 
in  the  van,  it  will  fall  to  my  duty  to  look  to  this,  and  to 
watch  for  the  consequences.  But  I  ask  of  you  to  keep  an 
eye  on  the  weather,  and  to  hold  your  ships  within  plain 
signal-distance  of  each  other.  If  it  come  on  thick,  or  to 
blow  very  hard,  we  must  close,  from  van  to  rear,  and  try  our 
luck  in  a  search  in  compact  order.  Let  the  man  who  first 
sees  the  enemy  make  himself  heard  at  once,  and  send  the 
news,  with  the  bearings  of  the  French,  both  ahead  and 
astern,  as  fast  as  possible.  In  that  case  you  will  all  close 
on  the  point  from  which  the  intelligence  comes;  and,  mark 
me,  no  cruising  to  get  to  windward,  in  your  own  fashions, 
as  if  you  sailed  with  roving  commissions.  You  know  I'll 
not  stand  that.  And  now,  gentlemen,  it  is  probable  that 
we  shall  all  never  meet  again.  God  bless  you !  Come  and 
shake  hands  with  me,  one  by  one,  and  then  to  your  boats, 
for  the  first  lieutenant  has  just  sent  Greenly  word  that  we 
are  up  and  down.  Let  him  trip,  Greenly,  and  be  off  as 
soon  as  we  can." 

The  leavetaking,  a  scene  in  which  joyousness  and  sad- 
ness were  strangely  mingled,  succeeded,  and  then  the  cap- 


2/6  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

tains  disappeared.  From  that  moment  every  mind  was  bent 
on  sailing. 

Although  Bluewater  did  not  witness  the  scene  in  the 
Plantagenet's  cabin,  he  pictured  it,  in  his  mind's  eye,  and 
remained  on  the  cliffs  to  watch  the  succeeding  movements. 
As  Wycherly  had  disappeared  in  the  house,  and  Button 
clung  to  his  flagstaff,  the  rear-admiral  had  no  one  but  Lord 
Geoffrey  for  a  companion.  The  latter,  perceiving  that  his 
relation  did  not  seem  disposed  to  converse,  had  the  tact 
to  be  silent  himself;  a  task  that  was  less  difficult  than 
common,  on  account  of  the  interest  he  felt  in  the  spec- 
tacle. 

The  boats  of  the  different  captains  were  still  shoving  off 
from  the  starboard  side  of  the  Plantagenet,  whither  etiquette 
had  brought  them  together,  in  a  little  crowd,  when  her  three 
topsails  fell,  and  their  sheets  steadily  drew  the  clews  toward 
the  ends  of  the  lower  yards.  Even  while  this  was  in  proc- 
ess, the  yards  began  to  ascend,  and  rose  with  that  steady 
but  graduated  movement  which  marks  the  operation  in  a 
man-of-war.  All  three  were  fairly  mastheaded  in  two  min- 
utes. As  the  wind  struck  the  canvas  obliquely,  the  sails 
filled  as  they  opened  their  folds,  and,  by  the  time  their  sur- 
faces were  flattened  by  distention,  the  Plantagenet  steadily 
moved  from  her  late  berth,  advancing  slowly  against  a 
strong  tide,  out  of  the  group  of  ships  among  which  she  had 
been  anchored.  This  was  a  beautiful  evolution,  resembling 
that  of  a  sea-fowl,  which  lazily  rises  on  its  element,  spreads 
its  wings,  emerges  from  the  water,  and  glides  away  to  some 
distant  and  unseen  point. 

The  movement  of  the  flagship  was  stately,  measured,  and 
grand.  For  five  minutes  she  held  her  way  nearly  due  east, 
with  the  wind  on  her  starboard  quarter,  meeting  the  tide  in 
a  direct  line;  until,  having  drawn  sufficiently  ahead  of  the 
fleet,  she  let  fall  her  courses,  sheeted  home  topgallant-sails 
and  royals,  set  her  spanker,  jibs,  and  staysails,  and  braced 
up  sharp  on  a  wind,  with  her  head  at  south-southeast.     This 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  2// 

brought  the  tide  well  under  her  lee  fore-chains,  and  set  her 
rapidly  off  the  land,  and  to  windward.  As  she  trimmed  her 
sails,  and  steadied  her  bowlines,  she  fired  a  gun,  made  the 
numbers  of  the  vessels  in  the  offing  to  weigh,  and  to  pass 
within  hail.  All  this  did  Bluewater  note,  with  the  attention 
of  an  amateur,  as  well  as  with  the  critical  analysis  of  a  con- 
noisseur. 

"Very  handsomely  done,  Master  Geoffrey — very  hand- 
somely done,  it  must  be  allowed.  Never  did  a  bird  quit  a 
flock  with  less  fuss,  or  more  beautifully,  than  the  Plantage- 
net  has  drawn  out  of  the  fleet.  It  must  be  admitted  that 
Greenly  knows  how  to  handle  his  ship." 

"  I  fancy  Captain  Stowel  would  have  done  quite  as  well 
with  the  Caesar,  sir,"  answered  the  boy,  with  a  proper  esprit- 
d^-ship.  "  Don't  you  remember.  Admiral  Bluewater,  the 
time  when  we  got  under  way  off  I'Orient,  with  the  wind 
blowing  a  gale  directly  on  shore?  Even  Sir  Gervaise  said, 
afterward,  that  we  lost  less  ground  than  any  ship  in  the 
fleet,  and  yet  the  Plantagenet  is  the  most  weatherly  two- 
decker  in  the  navy;  as  everybody  says." 

"Everybody! — She  is  certainly  a  weatherly  vessel,  but 
not  more  so  than  several  others.  Whom  did  you  ever  hear 
give  that  character  to  this  particular  ship?" 

"  Why,  sir,  her  reefers  are  always  bragging  as  much  as 
that ;  and  a  great  deal  more,  too." 

"  Her  reefers ! — Young  gentlemen  are  particularly  struck 
with  the  charms  of  their  first  loves,  both  ashore  and  afloat, 
my  boy.  Did  you  ever  hear  an  old  seaman  say  that  much 
for  the  Plantagenet?" 

"  I  think  I  have,  sir,"  returned  Lord  Geoffrey,  blushing. 
"Galleygo,  Sir  Gervaise's  steward,  is  commonly  repeating 
some  such  stuff,  or  other.  They  are  furious  braggarts,  the 
Plantagenets,  all  round,  sir." 

"That  comes  honestly,"  answered  Bluewater,  smiling, 
"  her  namesakes  and  predecessors  of  old  having  some  such 
characteristic,  too.     Look  at  that   ship's   yards,  boy,  and 


2/8  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

learn  how  to  trim  a  vessel's  sails  on  a  wind.  The  pencil  of 
a  painter  could  not  draw  lines  more  accurate!" 

"  Captain  Stowel  tells  us,  sir,  that  the  yards  ought  not  to 
be  braced  in  exactly  alike;  but  that  we  ought  to  check  the 
weather-braces,  a  little,  as  we  go  aloft,  so  that  the  topsail 
yard  should  point  a  little  less  forward  than  the  lower  yard, 
and  the  topgallant  than  the  topsail." 

"You  are  quite  right  in  taking  Stowel's  opinion  in  all 
such  matters,  Geoffrey :  but  has  not  Captain  Greenly  done 
the  same  thing  in  the  Plantagenet?  When  I  speak  of  sym- 
metry, I  mean  the  symmetry  of  a  seaman." 

The  boy  was  silenced,  though  exceedingly  reluctant  to 
admit  that  any  ship  could  equal  his  own.  In  the  mean 
time,  there  was  every  appearance  of  a  change  in  the  weather. 
Just  about  the  time  the  Plantagenet  braced  up,  the  wind 
freshened,  and  in  ten  minutes  it  blev\»a  stiff  breeze.  Some 
time  before  the  admiral  spoke  the  vessels  outside,  he  was 
compelled  to  take  in  all  his  light  canvas;  and  when  he  filled 
again,  after  giving  his  orders  to  the  frigate  and  sloop,  the 
topgallant  sheets  were  let  fly,  a  single  reef  was  taken  in  the 
topsails,  and  the  lighter  sails  were  set  over  them.  This 
change  in  the  weather,  more  especially  as  the  night  threat- 
ened to  be  clouded,  if  not  absolutely  dark,  would  necessarily 
bring  about  a  corresponding  change  in  the  plan  of  sailing, 
reducing  the  intervals  between  the  departures  of  the  vessels, 
quite  one-half.  To  such  vicissitudes  are  all  maritime  oper- 
ations liable,  and  it  is  fortunate  when  there  is  sufficient 
capacity  in  the  leaders  to  remedy  them. 

In  less  than  an  hour,  the  Plantagenet's  hull  began  to  sink 
to  those  on  a  level  with  it,  when  the  Carnatic  tripped  her 
anchor,  opened  her  canvas,  shot  out  of  the  fleet,  hauled  by 
the  wind,  and  followed  in  the  admiral's  wake.  So  accurate 
was  the  course  she  steered  that,  half  an  hour  after  she  had 
braced  up,  a  hawse-bucket,  which  had  been  dropped  from 
the  Plantagenet  in  hauling  water,  was  picked  up.  We  may 
add,  here,  though  it  will  be  a  little  anticipating  events,  that 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  2/9 

the  Thunderer  followed  the  Carnatic;  the  Blenheim  the 
Thunderer;  the  Achilles  the  Blenheim;  the  Warspite  the 
Achilles;  the  Dover  the  Warspite;  the  York  the  Dover;  the 
Elizabeth  the  York;  the  Dublin  the  Elizabeth;  and  the 
Caesar  the  Dublin.  But  hours  passed  before  all  these  ships 
were  in  motion,  and  hours  in  which  we  shall  have  some 
occurrences  to  relate  that  took  place  on  shore.  Still  it  will 
aid  the  reader  in  better  understanding  the  future  incidents 
of  our  tale,  if  we  describe,  at  once,  some  of  the  circum- 
stances under  which  all  these  ships  got  in  motion. 

By  the  time  the  Plantagenet's  topsails  were  beginning  to 
dip  from  the  cliffs,  the  Carnatic,  the  Thunderer,  the  Blen- 
heim, the  Achilles,  and  the  Warspite  were  all  stretching  out 
in  line,  with  intervals  of  quite  two  leagues  between  them, 
under  as  much  canvas  as  they  could  now  bear.  The  admiral 
had  shortened  sail  the  most,  and  was  evidently  allowing  the 
Carnatic  to  close,  most  probably  on  account  of  the  threaten- 
ing look  of  the  sky,  to  windward;  while  he  was  suffering 
the  frigate  and  sloop,  the  Chloe  and  Driver,  to  pass  ahead 
of  him,  the  one  on  his  weather  and  the  other  on  his  lee 
bow.  When  the  Dover  weighed,  the  admiral's  upper  sail 
was  not  visible  from  her  tops,  though  the  Warspite's  hull 
had  not  yet  disappeared  from  her  deck.  She  left  the  fleet, 
or  the  portions  of  it  that  still  remained  at  anchor,  with  her 
fore-course  set,  and  hauled  by  the  wind,  under  double-reefed 
topsails,  a  single  reef  in  her  mainsail,  and  with  her  main- 
topgallant  sail  set  over  its  proper  sail.  With  this  reduced 
canvas,  she  started  away  on  the  track  of  her  consorts,  the 
brine  foaming  under  her  bows,  and  with  a  heel  that  denoted 
the  heavy  pressure  that  bore  on  her  sails.  By  this  time  the 
York  was  aweigh,  the  tide  had  turned,  and  it  became  neces- 
sary to  fill  on  the  other  tack  in  order  to  clear  the  land  to 
the  eastward.  This  altered  the  formation,  but  we  will  now 
revert  to  the  events  as  they  transpired  on  the  shore,  with  a 
view  to  relate  them  more  in  their  regular  order. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  Bluewater  must  have 


280  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

remained  on  or  about  the  cliffs  several  hours,  in  order  to 
witness  the  departure  of  so  many  of  the  vessels.  Instead  of 
returning  to  the  Hall  at  the  dinner  hour,  agreeably  to  prom- 
ise, he  profited  by  the  appearance  of  Wycherly,  who  left  the 
cottage  with  a  flushed,  agitated  manner,  just  as  he  was  think- 
ing of  the  necessity  of  sending  a  message  to  Sir  Reginald, 
and  begged  the  young  man  to  be  the  bearer  of  his  excuses. 
He  thought  that  the  change  in  the  weather  rendered  it  neces- 
sary for  him  to  remain  in  sight  of  the  sea.  Button  over- 
heard this  message,  and,  after  a  private  conference  with  his 
wife,  he  ventured  to  invite  his  superior  to  appease  his  ap- 
petite under  his  own  humble  roof.  To  this  Bluewater 
cheerfully  assented;  and  when  the  summons  came  to  the 
table,  to  his  great  joy  he  found  that  his  only  companion  was 
to  be  Mildred,  who,  like  himself,  for  some  reason  known 
only  to  her  own  bosom,  had  let  the  ordinary  dining-hour 
pass  without  appearing  at  table,  but  whom  her  mother  had 
now  directed  to  take  some  sustenance. 

"  The  late  events  at  the  Hall  have  agitated  the  poor  child, 
sir,"  said  Mrs.  Dutton,  in  the  way  of  apology,  "  and  she 
has  not  tasted  food  since  morning.  I  have  told  her  you 
would  excuse  the  intrusion,  and  receive  her  carving  and 
attentions  as  an  excuse  for  her  company." 

Bluewater  looked  at  the  pallid  countenance  of  the  girl, 
and  never  before  had  he  found  the  resemblance  to  Agnes 
Hedworth  so  strong,  as  that  moment.  The  last  year  or  two 
of  his  own  sweet  friend's  life  had  been  far  from  happy,  and 
the  languid  look  and  tearful  eyes  of  Mildred  revived  the 
recollection  of  the  dead  with  painful  distinctness. 

"Good  God!"  he  murmured  to  himself;  "that  two  such 
beings  should  exist  only  to  suffer!  My  good  Mrs.  Dutton, 
make  no  excuses;  but  believe  me  when  I  say  that  you  could 
not  have  found  in  England  another  that  would  have  proved 
as  welcome  as  my  present  little  messmate." 

Mildred  struggled  for  a  smile;  and  she  did  succeed  in 
looking  extremely  grateful.     Beyond  this,  however,  it  ex- 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  28 1 

ceeded  her  powers  to  go.  Mrs.  Button  was  gratified,  and 
soon  left  the  two  to  partake  of  their  neat,  but  simple  meal, 
by  themselves;  household  duties  requiring  her  presence 
elsewhere. 

"  Let  me  persuade  you  to  take  a  glass  of  this  really  excel- 
lent port,  my  child,"  said  Bluewater.  "  If  you  had  cruised 
as  long  as  I  have  done  on  the  coast  of  Portugal,  you  would 
know  how  to  value  a  liquor  as  pure  as  this.  I  don't  know 
of  an  admiral  that  has  as  good!" 

"  It  is  probably  our  last,  sir,"  answered  Mildred,  shaking 
a  tear  from  each  of  her  long  dark  lashes,  by  an  involuntarily 
trembling  motion,  as  she  spoke.  "  It  was  a  present  from 
dear,  old  Sir  Wycherly,  who  never  left  my  mother  wholly 
unsupplied  with  such  plain  delicacies  as  he  fancied  poverty 
placed  beyond  our  reach.  The  wine  we  can  easily  forget; 
not  so  easily  the  donor." 

Bluewater  felt  as  if  he  could  draw  a  check  for  one-half 
the  fortune  he  had  devised  to  his  companion ;  and  yet,  by  a 
caprice  of  feeling  that  is  not  uncommon  to  persons  of  the 
liveliest  susceptibility,  he  answered  in  a  way  to  smother  his 
own  emotion. 

"There  will  not  soon  be  another  old  Sir  Wycherly  to 
make  his  neighbors  comfortable;  but  there  is  a  yowig  one, 
who  is  not  likely  to  forget  his  uncle's  good  example.  I 
hope  you  all  here  rejoice  at  the  sudden  rise  in  fortune  that 
has  so  unexpectedly  been  placed  within  the  reach  of  our 
favorite  lieutenant?" 

A  look  of  anguish  passed  over  Mildred's  face,  and  her 
companion  noted  it;  though  surprise  and  pity — not  to  say 
resentment — prevented  his  betraying  his  discovery. 

"We  endeavor  to  be  glad,  sir,"  answered  Mildred,  smiling 
in  so  suffering  a  manner  as  to  awaken  all  her  companion's 
sympathies;  "but  it  is  not  easy  for  us  to  rejoice  at  anything 
which  is  gained  by  the  loss  of  our  former  valued  friend." 

"I  am  aware  that  a  young  fellow,  like  the  present  Sir 
Wycherly,  can  be  no  substitute  for  an  old  fellow  like  the 


282  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

last  Sir  Wycherly,  my  dear;  but  as  one  is  a  sailor,  and  the 
other  was  only  a  landsman,  my  professional  prejudices  may 
not  consider  the  disparity  as  great  as  it  may  possibly  ap- 
pear to  be  to  your  less  partial  judgment." 

Bluewater  thought  the  glance  he  received  was  imploring, 
and  he  instantly  regretted  that  he  had  taken  such  means  to 
divert  his  companion's  sadness.  Some  consciousness  of  this 
regret  probably  passed  through  Mildred's  mind,  for  she  ral- 
lied her  spirits,  and  made  a  partially  successful  effort  to  be 
a  more  agreeable  companion. 

"  My  father  thinks,  sir,"  she  said,  *'  that  our  late  pleasant 
weather  is  about  to  desert  us,  and  that  it  is  likely  to  blow 
heavily  before  six-and-thirty  hours  are  over." 

"  I  am  afraid  Mr.  Button  will  prove  to  be  too  accurate  an 
almanac.  The  weather  has  a  breeding  look,  and  I  expect 
a  dirty  night.  Good  or  bad,  we  seamen  must  face  it,  and 
that,  too,  in  the  narrow  seas,  where  gales  of  wind  are  no 
gales  of  Araby." 

"Ah,  sir,  it  is  a  terrible  life  to  lead!  By  living  on  this 
cliff,  I  have  learned  to  pity  sailors." 

"  Perhaps,  my  child,  you  pity  us  when  we  are  the  most 
happy.  Nine  seamen  in  ten  prefer  a  respectable  gale  to  a 
flat  calm.  There  are  moments  when  the  ocean  is  terrific; 
but,  on  the  whole,  it  is  capricious,  rather  than  malignant. 
The  night  that  is  before  us  promises  to  be  just  such  a  one 
as  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  delights  in.  He  is  never  happier 
than  when  he  hears  a  gale  howling  through  the  cordage  of 
his  ship." 

"  I  have  heard  him  spoken  of  as  a  very  daring  and  self- 
relying  commander.  But  you  cannot  entertain  such  feelings, 
Admiral  Bluewater;  for  to  me  you  seem  better  fitted  for  a 
fireside,  well  filled  with  friends  and  relatives,  than  for  the 
conflicts  and  hardships  of  the  sea." 

Mildred  had  no  difficulty  now  in  forcing  a  smile,  for  the 
sweet  one  she  bestowed  on  the  veteran  almost  tempted  him 
to  rise  and  fold  her  in  his  arms,  as  a  parent  would  wrap  a 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  283 

beloved  daughter  to  his  heart.  Discretion,  however,  pre- 
vented a  betrayal  of  feelings  that  might  have  been  misinter- 
preted, and  he  answered  in  his  original  vein. 

"I  fear  I  am  a  wolf  in  sheep's  clothing,"  he  said;  "while 
Oakes  admits  the  happiness  he  feels  in  seeing  his  ship 
ploughing  through  a  raging  sea,  in  a  dark  night,  he  main- 
tains that  my  rapture  is  sought  in  a  hurricane.  I  do  not 
plead  guilty  to  the  accusation,  but  I  will  allow  there  is  a 
sort  of  fierce  delight  in  participating,  as  it  might  be,  in  a 
wild  strife  of  the  elements.  To  me,  my  very  nature  seems 
changed  at  such  moments,  and  I  forget  all  that  is  mild  and 
gentle.  That  comes  of  having  lived  so  much  estranged 
from  your  sex,  my  dear;  desolate  bachelor  as  I  am." 

"Do  you  think  sailors  ought  to  marry?"  asked  Mildred, 
with  a  steadiness  that  surprised  herself;  for,  while  she  put 
the  question,  consciousness  brought  the  blood  to  her 
temples. 

"  I  should  be  sorry  to  condemn  a  whole  profession,  and 
that  one  I  so  well  love,  to  the  hopeless  misery  of  single  life. 
There  are  miseries  peculiar  to  the  wedded  lives  of  both  sol- 
diers and  sailors;  but  are  there  not  miseries  peculiar  to 
those  who  never  separate  ?  I  have  heard  seamen  say — men, 
too,  who  loved  their  wives  and  families — that  they  believed 
the  extreme  pleasure  of  meetings  after  long  separations,  the 
delights  of  hope,  and  the  zest  of  excited  feelings,  have  ren- 
dered their  years  of  active  service  more  replete  with  agree- 
able sensations  than  the  stagnant  periods  of  peace.  Never 
having  been  married  myself,  I  can  only  speak  on  report." 

"  Ah !  this  may  be  so  with  men  ;  but — surely — surely — 
womeft  never  can  feel  thus!" 

"  I  suppose,  a  sailor's  daughter  yourself,  you  know  Jack's 
account  of  his  wife's  domestic  creed!  'A  good  fire,  a  clean 
hearth,  the  children  abed,  and  the  husband  at  sea,'  is  sup- 
posed to  be  the  climax  of  felicity." 

"This  may  do  for  the  sailor's  jokes,  Admiral  Bluewater," 
answered   Mildred,  smiling;    "but   it  will    hardly  ease   a 


284  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

breaking  heart.  I  fear  from  all  I  have  heard  this  afternoon, 
and  from  the  sudden  sailing  of  the  ships,  that  a  great  battle 
is  at  hand?" 

"  And  why  should  you,  a  British  officer's  daughter,  dread 
that?  Have  you  so  little  faith  in  us,  as  to  suppose  a  battle 
will  necessarily  bring  defeat!  I  have  seen  much  of  my  own 
profession,  Miss  Button,  and  trust  I  am  in  some  small  degree 
above  the  rhodomontade  of  the  braggarts ;  but  it  is  not  usual 
for  us  to  meet  the  enemy,  and  to  give  those  on  shore  reason 
to  be  ashamed  of  the  English  flag.  It  has  never  yet  been 
my  luck  to  meet  a  Frenchman  who  did  not  manifest  a  manly 
desire  to  do  his  country  credit;  and  I  have  always  felt  that 
we  must  fight  hard  for  him  before  we  could  get  him;  nor 
has  the  result  ever  disappointed  me.  Still,  fortune,  or  skill, 
or  rights  is  commonly  of  our  side,  and  has  given  us  the 
advantage  in  the  end." 

"And  to  which,  sir,  do  you  ascribe  a  success  at  sea  so 
very  uniform?" 

"As  a  Protestant,  I  ought  to  say  to  our  religion;  but  this 
my  own  knowledge  of  Protestant  vices  rejects.  Then  to  say 
fortune  would  be  an  exceeding  self-abasement — one  that, 
between  us,  is  not  needed;  and  I  believe  I  must  impute  it 
to  skill.  As  plain  seamen,  I  do  believe  we  are  more  expert 
than  most  of  our  neighbors;  though  I  am  far  from  being 
positive  we  have  any  great  advantage  over  them  in  tactics. 
Lf  any,  the  Dutch  are  our  equals." 

"  Notwithstanding,  you  are  quite  certain  of  success.  It 
must  be  a  great  encouragement  to  enter  into  the  fight  with  a 
strong  confidence  in  victory!  I  suppose — that  is,  it  seems 
to  me — it  is  a  matter  of  course,  sir — that  our  new  Sir  VVych- 
erly  will  not  be  able  to  join  in  the  battle,  this  time?" 

Mildred  spoke  timidly,  and  she  endeavored  to  seem  un- 
concerned ;  but  Bluewater  read  her  whole  heart,  and  pitied 
the  pain  which  she  had  inflicted  on  herself,  in  asking  the 
question.  It  struck  him,  too,  that  a  girl  of  his  companion's 
delicacy  and  sensibility  would  not  thus  advert  to  the  young 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  285 

man's  movements  at  all,  if  the  latter  had  done  aught  justly 
to  awaken  censure;  and  this  conviction  greatly  relieved  his 
mind  as  to  the  effect  of  sudden  elevation  on  the  handsome 
lieutenant.  As  it  was  necessary  to  answer,  however,  lest 
Mildred  might  detect  his  consciousness  of  her  feelings,  not 
a  moment  was  lost  before  making  a  reply. 

"  It  is  not  an  easy  matter  to  prevent  a  young,  dashing 
sailor,  like  this  Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe,  from  doing  his 
part  in  a  general  engagement,  and  that,  too,  of  the  character 
of  the  one  to  which  we  are  looking  forward,"  he  said. 
"  Oakes  has  left  the  matter  in  my  hands ;  I  suppose  I  shall 
have  to  grant  the  young  man's  request." 

"  He  has  then  requested  to  be  received  in  your  ship?" 
asked  Mildred,  her  hand  shaking  as  she  used  the  spoon  it 
held. 

"  That  of  course.  No  one  who  wears  the  uniform  could 
or  would  do  less.  It  seems  a  ticklish  moment  for  him  to 
quit  Wychecombe,  too;  where  I  fancy  he  will  have  a  battle 
of  his  own  to  fight  ere  long;  but  professional  feeling  will 
overshadow  all  others,  in  young  men.  Among  us  seamen, 
it  is  said  to  be  even  stronger  than  love." 

Mildred  made  no  answer;  but  her  pale  cheek  and  quiver- 
ing lips,  evidences  of  feeling  that  her  artlessness  did  not 
enable  her  to  conceal,  caused  Bluewater  again  to  regret  the 
remark.  With  a  view  to  restore  the  poor  girl  to  her  self- 
command,  he  changed  the  subject  of  conversation,  which 
did  not  again  advert  to  Wycherly.  The  remainder  of  the 
meal  was  consequently  eaten  in  peace,  the  admiral  mani- 
festing to  the  last,  however,  the  sudden  and  generous  inter- 
est he  had  taken  in  the  character  and  welfare  of  his  com- 
panion. When  they  rose  from  table,  Mildred  joined  her 
mother,  and  Bluewater  walked  out  upon  the  cliffs  again. 

It  was  now  evening,  and  the  waste  of  water  that  lay 
stretched  before  the  eye,  though  the  softness  of  summer  was 
shed  upon  it,  had  the  wild  and  dreary  aspect  that  the  winds 
and  waves  lend  to  a  view,  as  the  light  of  day  is  about  to 


286  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

abandon  the  ocean  to  the  gloom  of  night.  All  this  had  no 
effect  on  Bluewater,  however,  who  knew  that  two-decked 
ships,  strongly  manned,  with  their  heavy  canvas  reduced, 
would  make  light  work  of  worrying  through  hours  of  dark- 
ness that  menaced  no  more  than  these.  Still  the  wind  had 
freshened,  and  when  he  stood  on  the  verge  of  the  cliff,  sus- 
tained by  the  breeze,  which  pressed  him  back  from  the 
precipice,  rendering  his  head  more  steady,  and  his  footing 
sure,  the  Elizabeth  was  casting,  under  close-reefed  topsails, 
and  two  reefs  in  her  courses,  with  a  heavy  staysail  or  two, 
to  ease  her  helm.  He  saw  that  the  ponderous  machine 
would  stagger  under  even  this  short  canvas,  and  that  her 
captain  had  made  his  dispositions  for  a  windy  night.  The 
lights  that  the  Dover  and  the  York  carried  in  their  tops 
were  just  beginning  to  be  visible  in  the  gathering  gloom, 
the  last  about  a  league  and  a  half  down  Channel,  the  ship 
standing  in  that  direction  to  get  to  windward,  and  the  former 
more  to  the  southward,  the  vessel  having  already  tacked  to 
follow  the  admiral.  A  chain  of  lights  connected  the  whole 
of  the  long  line,  and  placed  the  means  of  communication  in 
the  power  of  the  captains.  At  this  moment,  the  Plantage- 
net  was  full  fifty  miles  at  sea,  ploughing  through  a  heavy 
southwest  swell,  which  the  wind  was  driving  into  the  chops 
of  the  Channel  from  the  direction  of  the  Bay  of  Biscay  and 
the  broad  Atlantic. 

Bluewatter  buttoned  his  coat,  and  he  felt  his  frame  invig- 
orated by  a  gale  that  came  over  his  person,  loaded  by  the 
peculiar  flavor  of  the  sea.  But  two  of  the  heavy  ships  re- 
mained at  their  anchors,  the  Dublin  and  the  Caesar;  and  his 
experienced  eye  could  see  that  Stowel  had  everything  on 
board  the  latter  ready  to  trip  and  be  off,  as  soon  as  he,  him- 
self, should  give  the  order.  At  this  moment  the  midship- 
man, who  had  been  absent  for  hours,  returned,  and  stood 
again  at  his  side. 

"Our  turn  will  soon  come,  sir,"  said  the  gallant  boy, 
"and,  for  one,  I  shall  not  be  sorry  to  be  in  motion.     Those 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  28/ 

chaps  on  board  the  Plantagenet  will  swagger  like  so  many 
Dons,  if  they  should  happen  to  get  a  broadside  at  Monsieur 
de  Vervillin  while  we  are  lying  here,  under  the  shore,  like 
a  gentleman's  yacht  hauled  into  a  bay,  that  the  ladies  might 
eat  without  disturbing  their  stomachs." 

"  Little  fear  of  that,  Geoffrey.  The  Active  is  too  light  of 
foot,  especially  in  the  weather  we  have  had,  to  suffer  heavy 
ships  to  be  so  close  on  her  heels.  She  must  have  had  some 
fifteen  or  twenty  miles  the  start,  and  the  French  have  been 
compelled  to  double  Cape  la  Hogue  and  Alderney,  before 
they  could  even  look  this  way.  If  coming  down  Channel  at 
all,  they  are  fully  fifty  miles  to  the  eastward;  and  should 
our  van  stretch  far  enough  by  morning  to  head  them  off,  it 
will  bring  us  handsomely  to  windward.  Sir  Gervaise  never 
set  a  better  trap,  than  he  has  done  this  very  day.  The 
Elizabeth  has  her  hands  full,  boy,  and  the  wind  seems  to  be 
getting  scant  for  her.  It  it  knock  her  off  much  more,  it  will 
bring  the  flood  on  her  weather-bow,  and  compel  her  to  tack. 
This  will  throw  the  rear  of  our  line  into  confusion!" 

"  What  should  we  do,  sir,  in  such  a  case?  It  would  never 
answer  to  leave  poor  Sir  Jarvy  out  there,  by  himself!" 

"  We  would  try  not  to  do  that  I^''  returned  Bluewater,  smil- 
ing at  the  affectionate  solicitude  of  the  lad,  a  solicitude  that 
caused  him  slightly  to  forget  his  habitual  respect  for  the 
commander-in-chief,  and  to  adopt  the  sobriquet  of  the  fleet. 
"  In  such  a  case,  it  would  become  my  duty  to  collect  as 
many  ships  as  I  could,  and  to  make  the  best  of  our  way 
toward  the  place  where  we  might  hope  to  fall  in  with  the 
others,  in  the  morning.  There  is  little  danger  of  losing 
each  other,  for  any  length  of  time,  in  these  narrow  waters, 
and  I  have  few  apprehensions  of  the  French  being  far 
enough  west,  to  fall  in  with  our  leading  vessels  before 
morning.     If  they  should^  indeed,  Geoffrey " 

"  Ay,  sir,  if  they  should^  I  know  well  enough  what  would 
come  to  pass!" 

"What,  boy? — On  the  supposition  that  Monsieur  de  Ver- 


288  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

villin  did  mQtt  with  Sir  Gervaise  by  daybreak,  what,  in  your 
experienced  eyes,  seem  most  likely  to  be  the  consequences?" 

"  Why,  sir.  Sir  Jarvy  would  go  at  'em,  like  a  dolphin  at  a 
flying-fish;  and  if  he  j"/^^z/r/^  really  happen  to  catch  one  or 
two  of  'em,  there'd  be  no  sailing  in  company  with  the  Plan- 
tagenets,  for  us  Caesars! — When  we  had  the  last  'bout  with 
Monsieur  de  Gravel  in,  they  were  as  saucy  as  peacocks,  be- 
cause we  didn't  close  until  their  foreyard  and  mizzen-top- 
gallantmast  were  gone,  although  the  shift  of  wind  brought 
us  dead  to  leeward,  and,  after  all,  we  had  eleven  men  the 
most  hurt  in  the  fight.  You  don't  know  them  Plantagenets, 
sir;  for  they  never  dare  say  anything  before  >'^z/  /" 

"  Not  to  the  discredit  of  my  young  Caesar's,  I'll  answer  for 
it.  Yet  you'll  remember  Sir  Gervaise  gave  us  full  credit,  in 
his  despatches." 

"Yes,  sir,  all  very  true.  Sir  Gervaise  knows  better;  and 
then  he  understands  what  the  Csesar  is ;  and  what  she  can 
do,  and  has  done.  But  it's  a  very  different  matter  with  his 
youngsters,  who  fancy,  because  they  carry  a  red  flag  at  the 
fore,  they  are  so  many  Blakes  and  Howards,  themselves. 
There's  Jack  Oldcastle,  now;  he's  always  talking  of  our 
reefers  as  if  there  was  no  sea-blood  in  our  veins,  and  that 
just  because  his  own  father  happened  to  be  a  captain— a 
commodore,  he  says,  because  he  happened  once  to  have  three 
frigates  under  his  orders." 

"  Well,  that  would  make  a  commodore,  for  the  time  being. 
But  surely  he  does  not  claim  privilege  for  the  Oldcastle 
blood,  over  that  of  the  Clevelands!" 

"No,  sir,  it  isn't  that  sort  of  thing,  at  all,"  returned  the 
fine  boy,  blushing  a  little,  in  spite  of  his  contempt  for  any 
such  womanly  weakness;  "you  know  we  never  talk  of  that 
nonsense  in  our  squadron.  With  us  it's  all  service,  and 
that  sort  of  thing.  Jack  Oldcastle  says  the  Clevelands  are 
all  civilians,  as  he  calls  'em;  or  soldiers,  which  isn't  much 
better,  as  you  know,  sir.  Now,  I  tell  him  that  there  is  an 
old  picture  of  one  of  'em,  with  an  anchor-button,  and  that 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  289 

was  long  before  Queen  Anne's  time— Queen  Elizabeth's, 
perhaps — and  then  you  know,  sir,  I  fetch  him  up  with  a  yarn 
about  the  Hedworths;  for  I  am  just  as  much  Hedworth  as 
Cleveland." 

"And  what  does  the  impudent  dog  say  to  that,  Geoffrey  ?" 

"  Why,  sir,  he  says  the  name  should  be  spelt  Headw^r/-, 
and  that  they  were  all  lawyers.  But  I  gave  him  as  good  as 
he  sent  for  that  saucy  speech,  I'm  certain !" 

"And  what  did  you  give  him,  in  return  for  such  a  com- 
pliment? Did  you  tell  him  the  Oldcastles  were  just  so 
much  stone,  and  wood,  and  old  iron;  and  that,  too,  in  a 
tumble-down  condition  ?" 

"No,  sir,  not  I,"  answered  the  boy,  laughing;  "I  didn't 
think  of  any  answer  half  so  clever;  and  so  I  just  gave  him 
a  dig  in  the  nose,  and  that  laid  on  with  right  good  will." 

"  And  how  did  he  receive  that  argument?  Was  it  conclu- 
sive— or  did  the  debate  continue?" 

"Oh,  of  course,  sir,  we  fought  it  out.  'Twas  on  board  the 
Dover,  and  the  first  lieutenant  saw  fair  play.  Jack  carried 
too  many  guns  for  me,  sir,  for  h.'s  more  than  a  year  older; 
but  I  hulled  him  so  often  that  he  owned  it  was  harder  work 
than  being  mastheaded.  After  that  the  Dover's  chaps  took 
my  part,  and  they  said  the  Hedworths  had  no  llea.dwor^  at 
all,  but  they  were  regular  sailors;  admirals,  and  captains, 
and  youngsters,  you  know,  sir,  like  all  the  rest  of  us.  I 
told  'em  my  grandfather  Hedworth  was  an  admiral,  and  a 
good  one,  too." 

"  In  that  you  made  a  small  mistake.  Your  mother's  father 
was  only  3.  genera/;  but  /lis  father  was  a  full  admiral  of  the 
red — for  he  lived  before  that  grade  was  abolished — and  as 
good  an  officer  as  ever  trod  a  plank.  He  was  my  mother's 
brother,  and  both  Sir  Gervaise  and  myself  served  long  under 
his  orders.     He  was  a  sailor  of  whom  you  well  might  boast." 

"I  don't  think  any  of  the  Plantagenets  will  chase  in  that 
quarter  again,  sir;  for  we've  had  an  overhauling  among  our 
chaps,  and  we  find  we  can  muster  four  admirals,  two  com- 
"9 


290  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

modores,  and  thirteen  captains  in  our  two  messes;  that  is, 
counting  all  sorts  of  relatives,  you  know,  sir.'' 

"  Well,  my  dear  boy,  I  hope  you  may  live  to  reckon  all 
that  and  more  too,  in  your  own  persons,  at  some  future  day. 
Yonder  is  Sir  Reginald  Wychecombe,  coming  this  way,  to 
my  surprise ;  perhaps  he  wishes  to  see  me  alone.  Go  down 
to  the  landing  and  ascertain  if  my  barge  is  ashore,  and  let 
me  know  it,  as  soon  as  is  convenient.  Remember,  Geoff  rey, 
you  will  go  off  with  me;  and  hunt  up  Sir  Wycherly  Wyche- 
combe, who  will  lose  his  passage,  unless  ready  the  instant 
he  is  wanted." 

The  boy  touched  his  cap,  and  went  bounding  down  the 
hill,  to  execute  the  order. 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 


*'  So  glozed  the  Tempter,  and  his  poison  tuned  ; 
Into  the  heart  of  Eve  his  words  made  way, 
Though  at  the  voice  much  marvelling." 

Milton. 

It  was,  probably,  a  species  of  presentiment,  that  induced 
Bluewater  to  send  away  the  midshipman,  when  he  saw  the 
adherent  of  the  dethroned  house  approaching.  Enough  had 
passed  between  the  parties  to  satisfy  each  of  the  secret  bias 
of  the  other;  and,  by  that  sort  of  freemasonry  which  gener- 
ally accompanies  strong  feelings  of  partisanship,  the  admi- 
ral felt  persuaded  that  the  approaching  interview  was  about 
to  relate  to  the  political  troubles  of  the  day. 

The  season  and  the  hour,  and  the  spot,  too,  were  all  poet- 
ically favorable  to  an  interview  between  conspirators.  It 
was  now  nearly  dark;  the  headland  was  deserted.  Button 
having  retired,  first  to  his  bottle,  and  then  to  his  bed;  the 
wind  blew  heavily  athwart  the  bleak  eminence,  or  was  heard 
scuffling  in  the  caverns  of  the  cliffs,  while  the  portentous 
clouds  that  drore  through  the  air  now  veiled  entirely,  and 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  29 1 

now  partially  and  dimly  revealed,  the  light  of  the  moon,  in 
a  way  to  render  the  scene  both  exciting  and  wild.  No  won- 
der, then,  that  Bluewater,  his  visitor  drawing  near,  felt  a 
stronger  disposition  than  had  ever  yet  come  over  him  to 
listen  to  the  tale  of  the  tempter,  as,  under  all  the  circum- 
stances, it  would  scarcely  exceed  the  bounds  of  justice  to 
call  Sir  Reginald. 

"  In  seeking  you  at  such  a  spot,  and  in  the  midst  of  this 
wild  landscape,"  said  the  latter,  "  I  might  have  been  assured 
I  should  be  certain  of  finding  one  who  really  loved  the  sea 
and  your  noble  profession.  The  Hall  is  a  melancholy 
house,  just  at  this  moment;  and  when  I  inquired  for  you, 
no  one  could  say  whither  you  had  strolled.  In  following 
what  I  thought  a  seaman's  instinct,  it  appears  that  I  did 
well. — Do  my  eyes  fail  me,  or  are  there  no  more  than  three 
vessels  at  anchor  yonder?" 

"Your  eyes  are  still  good,  Sir  Reginald;  Admiral  Oakes 
sailed  several  hours  since,  and  he  has  been  followed  by  all 
the  fleet,  with  the  exception  of  the  two  line-of -battle  ships 
and  the  frigate  you  see;  leaving  me  to  be  the  last  to  quit 
the  anchorage." 

"  Is  it  a  secret  of  state,  or  are  you  permitted  to  say  whither 
so  strong  a  force  has  so  suddenly  sailed.''"  demanded  the 
baronet,  glancing  his  dark  eye  so  expressively  toward  the 
other  as  to  give  him,  in  the  growing  obscurity,  the  appear- 
ance of  an  inquisitor.  ''  I  had  been  told  the  fleet  would 
wait  for  orders  from  London?" 

"  Such  was  the  first  intention  of  the  commander-in-chief; 
but  intelligence  of  the  sailing  of  the  Comte  de  Vervillin  has 
induced  Sir  Gervaise  to  change  his  mind.  An  English  ad- 
miral seldom  errs  when  he  seeks  and  beats  an  active  and 
dangerous  enemy." 

"  Is  this  always  true,  Admiral  Bluewater?"  returned  Sir 
Reginald,  dropping  in  at  the  side  of  the  other,  and  joining 
in  his  walk,  as  he  paced,  to  and  fro,  a  short  path  that  But- 
ton called  his  own  quarter-deck;   "or  is  it  merely  an  un- 


292  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

meaning  generality  that  sometimes  causes  men  to  become 
the  dupes  of  their  own  imaginations.  Are  those  ahvays  our 
enemies  who  may  seem  to  be  so?  or  are  we  so  infallible 
that  every  feeling  or  prejudice  may  be  safely  set  down  as  an 
impulse  to  which  we  ought  to  submit,  without  questioning 
its  authority?" 

"  Do  you  esteem  it  a  prejudice  to  view  France  as  the  nat- 
ural enemy  of  England,  Sir  Reginald?" 

"  By  heaven,  I  do,  sir!  I  can  conceive  that  England  may 
be  much  more  her  own  enemy  than  France  has  ever  proved 
to  be.  Then,  conceding  that  ages  of  w^arfare  have  contrib- 
uted to  awaken  some  such  feeling  as  this  you  hint  at,  is 
there  not  a  question  of  right  and  wrong  that  lies  behind  all? 
Reflect  how  often  England  has  invaded  the  French  soil,  and 
what  serious  injuries  she  has  committed  on  the  territory  of 
the  latter,  while  France  has  so  little  wronged  us,  in  the  same 
way;  how  even  her  throne  has  been  occupied  by  our 
princes,  and  her  provinces  possessed  by  our  armies." 

"  I  think  you  hardly  allow  for  all  the  equity  of  the  differ- 
ent cases.  Parts  of  what  is  now  France  were  the  just  in- 
heritance of  those  who  have  sat  on  the  English  throne, 
and  the  quarrels  were  no  more  than  the  usual  difficulties 
of  neighborhood.  When  our  claims  were  just  in  them- 
selves, you  surely  could  not  have  wished  to  see  them  aban- 
doned." 

"Far  from  it;  but  when  claims  were  disputed,  is  it  not 
natural  for  the  loser  to  view  them  as  a  hardship?  I  believe 
we  should  have  had  a  much  better  neighborhood,  as  you  call 
it,  with  France,  had  not  the  modern  difficulties  connected 
with  religious  changes  occurred." 

"  I  presume  you  know.  Sir  Reginald,  that  I  and  all  my 
family  are  Protestants." 

"I  do.  Admiral  Bluewater;  and  I  rejoice  to  find  that  a 
difference  of  opinion  on  this  great  interest  does  not  neces- 
sarily produce  one  on  all  others.  From  several  little  allu- 
sions that  have  passed  between  us  to-day,  I  am  encouraged 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  293 

to  believe  that  we  think  alike  on  certain  temporal  matters, 
however  wide  the  chasm  between  us  on  spiritual  things." 

"  I  confess  I  have  fallen  into  the  same  conclusion ;  and 
I  should  be  sorry  to  be  undeceived  if  wrong." 

"  What  occasion,  then,  for  farther  ambiguity  ?  Surely  two 
honorable  men  may  safely  trust  each  other  with  their  com- 
mon sentiments,  when  the  times  call  for  decision  and  frank- 
ness! I  am  a  Jacobite,  Admiral  Bluewater;  if  I  risk  life 
or  fortune  by  making  the  avowal,  I  place  both,  without 
reserve,  at  your  mercy." 

"They  could  not  be  in  safer  hands,  sir;  and  I  know  no 
better  mode  of  giving  you  every  possible  assurance  that  the 
confidence  will  not  be  abused  than  by  telling  you,  in  return, 
that  I  would  cheerfully  lay  down  my  life  could  the  sacrifice 
restore  the  deposed  family  to  the  throne." 

"This  is  noble,  and  manly,  and  frank,  as  I  had  hoped 
from  a  sailor!"  exclaimed  Sir  Reginald,  more  delighted 
than  he  well  knew  how  to  express  at  the  moment.  "  This 
simple  assurance  from  your  lips  carries  more  weight  than 
all  the  oaths  and  pledges  of  vulgar  conspiracy.  We  under- 
stand each  other,  and  I  should  be  truly  sorry  to  inspire 
less  confidence  than  I  feel." 

"What  better  proof  can  I  give  you  of  the  reliance  placed 
on  your  faith  than  the  declaration  you  have  heard,  Sir  Regi- 
nald? My  head  would  answer  for  your  treachery  in  a 
week ;  but  I  have  never  felt  it  more  securely  on  my  shoul- 
ders than  at  this  moment." 

The  baronet  grasped  the  other's  hand,  and  each  gave  and 
received  a  pressure  that  was  full  of  meaning.  Then  both 
walked  on,  thoughtful  and  relieved,  for  quite  a  minute,  in 
profound  silence. 

"  This  sudden  appearance  of  the  prince  in  Scotland  has 
taken  us  all  a  little  by  surprise,"  Sir  Reginald  resumed, 
after  the  pause ;  "though  a  few  of  us  knew  that  his  inten- 
tions led  him  this  way.  Perhaps  he  has  done  well  to  come 
unattended  by  a  foreign  force,  and  to  throw  himself,  as  it 


294  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

might  be  singly,  into  the  arms  of  his  subjects;  trusting 
everything  to  their  generosity,  loyalty,  and  courage.  Some 
blame  him;  but  I  do  not.  He  will  awaken  interest,  now,  in 
every  generous  heart  in  the  nation" — this  was  artfully 
adapted  to  the  character  of  the  listener — "whereas  some 
might  feel  disposed  to  be  lukewarm  under  a  less  manly  ap- 
peal to  their  affections  and  loyalty.  In  Scotland,  we  learn 
from  all  directions  that  His  Royal  Highness  is  doing  won- 
ders, while  the  friends  of  his  house  are  full  of  activity  in 
England,  though  compelled,  for  a  time,  to  be  watchful  and 
prudent." 

"I  rejoice,  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart,  to  hear  this!" 
said  Bluewater,  drawing  a  long  breath,  like  one  whose  mind 
was  unexpectedly  relieved  from  a  heavy  load.  "  From  the 
bottom  of  my  heart,  do  I  rejoice!  I  had  my  apprehensions 
that  the  sudden  appearance  of  the  prince  might  find  his 
well-wishers  unprepared  and  timid." 

"As  far  from  that  as  possible,  my  dear  sir;  though  much 
still  depends  on  the  promptitude  and  resolution  of  the  mas- 
ter spirits  of  the  party.  We  are  strong  enough  to  control 
the  nation,  if  we  can  bring  those  forward  who  have  the 
strength  to  lead  and  control  ourselves.  All  we  now  want 
are  some  hundred  or  two  of  prominent  men  to  step  out  of 
their  diffidence,  and  show  us  the  way  to  honorable  achieve- 
ment and  certain  success." 

"Can  such  men  be  wanting,  at  a  moment  like  this?" 

"I  think  we  are  secure  of  most  of  the  high  nobility, 
though  their  great  risks  render  them  all  a  little  wary  in  the 
outset.  It  is  among  the  professional  men — the  gallant  sol- 
diers, and  the  bold,  ardent  seamen  of  the  fleet,  that  we  must 
look  for  the  first  demonstrations  of  loyalty  and  true  patriot- 
ism. To  be  honest  with  you,  sir,  I  tire  of  being  ruled  by 
a  German." 

"  Do  you  know  of  any  intention  to  rally  a  force  in  this 
part  of  England,  Sir  Reginald?  If  so,  say  but  the  word — 
point  out  the  spot  where  the  standard  is  to  be  raised,  and 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  295 

I  will  rally  under  it,  the  instant  circumstances  will  per- 
mit!" 

"  This  is  just  what  I  expected,  Mr.  Bluewater,"  answered 
the  baronet,  more  gratified  than  he  thought  it  prudent  to 
express;  "though  it  is  not  exactly  the /^rw  in  which  you 
can  best  serve  us  at  this  precise  moment.  Cut  off  from  the 
north,  as  we  are  in  this  part  of  the  island,  by  all  the  re- 
sources of  the  actual  government,  it  would  be  the  height  of 
imprudence  in  us  to  show  our  hands,  until  all  the  cards  are 
ready  to  be  played.  Active  and  confidential  agents  are  at 
work  in  the  army;  London  has  its  proper  share  of  business 
men,  while  others  are  in  the  counties,  doing  their  best  to 
put  things  in  a  shape  for  the  consummation  we  so  anxiously 
look  for.  I  have  been  with  several  of  our  friends  in  this 
vicinity,  to  bring  matters  into  a  combined  state;  and  it  was 
my  intention  to  visit  this  very  estate,  to  see  what  my  own 
name  might  do  with  the  tenantry,  had  not  the  late  Sir 
Wycherly  summoned  me  as  he  did,  to  attend  his  death-bed. 
Have  you  any  clew  to  the  feelings  of  this  new  and  young 
head  of  my  family,  the  sea-lieutenant  and  present  baronet?" 

"Not  a  very  plain  one,  sir,  though  I  doubt  if  they  be 
favorable  to  the  House  of  Stuart." 

"  I  feared  as  much ;  this  very  evening  I  have  had  an 
anonymous  communication  that  I  think  must  come  from  his 
competitor,  pretty  plainly  intimating  that,  by  asserting  his 
rights,  as  they  are  called,  the  whole  Wychecombe  tenantry 
and  interest  could  be  united,  in  the  present  struggle,  on 
whichever  side  I  might  desire  to  see  them." 

"  This  is  a  bold  and  decided  stroke,  truly !  May  I  inquire 
as  to  your  answer,  Sir  Reginald?" 

"I  shall  give  none.  Under  all  circumstances  I  will  ever 
refuse  to  place  a  bastard  in  the  seat  of  a  legitimate  descen- 
dant of  my  family.  We  contend  for  legal  and  natural 
rights,  my  dear  admiral,  and  the  means  employed  should  not 
be  unworthy  of  the  end.  Besides,  I  know  the  scoundrel  to 
be  unworthy  of  trust,  and  shall  not  have  the  weakness  to  put 


296  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

myself  in  his  power.  I  could  wish  the  other  boy  to  be  of 
another  mind;  but,  by  getting  him  off  to  sea,  whither  he 
tells  me  he  is  bound,  we  shall  at  least  send  him  out  of 
harm's  way." 

In  all  this  Sir  Reginald  was  perfectly  sincere ;  for,  while 
he  did  not  always  hesitate  about  the  employment  of  means 
in  matters  of  politics,  he  was  rigidly  honest  in  everything 
that  related  to  private  property;  a  species  of  moral  contra- 
diction that  is  sometimes  found  among  men  who  aim  at  the 
management  of  human  affairs;  since  those  often  yield  to  a 
besetting  weakness  who  are  nearly  irreproachable  in  other 
matters.  Bluewater  was  glad  to  hear  this  declaration;  his 
own  simplicity  of  character  inducing  him  to  fancy  it  was  an 
indication  to  the  general  probity  of  his  companion. 

"Yes,"  observed  the  latter,  "  in  all  cases,  we  must  main- 
tain the  laws  of  the  land,  in  an  affair  of  private  right.  This 
young  man  is  not  capable,  perhaps,  of  forming  a  just  esti- 
mate of  his  political  duties,  in  a  crisis  like  this,  and  it  may 
be  well,  truly,  to  get  him  off  to  sea,  lest  by  taking  the  losing 
side  he  endangers  his  estate  before  he  is  fairly  possessed 
of  it.  And  having  now  disposed  of  Sir  Wycherly,  what  can 
I  do  most  to  aid  the  righteous  and  glorious  cause?" 

"  This  is  coming  to  the  point  manfully.  Sir  Richard — I 
beg  pardon  for  thus  styling  you,  but  I  happen  to  know  that 
your  name  has  been  before  the  prince,  for  some  time,  as  one 
of  those  who  are  to  receive  the  riband  from  a  sovereign 
really  authorized  to  bestow  it;  if  I  have  spoken  a  little  pre- 
maturely, I  again  entreat  your  pardon; — but  this  is  at  once 
coming  manfully  to  the  point!  Serve  us  you  can,  of  course, 
and  tlieat  most  effectually,  and  in  an  all-important  manner. 
I  now  greatly  regret  that  my  father  had  not  put  me  in  the 
army,  in  my  youth,  that  I  might  serve  my  prince  as  I  could 
wish,  in  this  perilous  trial.  But  we  have  many  friends  ac- 
customed to  arms,  and  among  them  your  own  honorable 
name  will  appear  conspicuous  as  to  the  past,  and  encourag- 
ing as  to  the  future." 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  29/ 

"I  have  carried  arms  from  boyhood,  it  is  true,  Sir  Regi- 
nald, but  it  is  in  a  service  that  will  scarcely  much  avail  us 
in  this  warfare.  Prince  Edward  has  no  ships,  nor  do  I 
know  he  will  need  any." 

"True,  my  dear  sir,  but  King  George  has!  As  for  the 
necessity,  permit  me  to  say  you  are  mistaken;  it  will  soon 
be  all-important  to  keep  open  the  communication  with  the 
continent.  No  doubt.  Monsieur  de  Vervillin  is  out,  with 
some  such  object,  already." 

Bluewater  started,  and  he  recoiled  from  the  firm  grasp 
which  the  other  took  of  his  arm,  in  the  earnestness  of  dis- 
course, with  some  such  instinctive  aversion  as  a  man  recoils 
from  the  touch  of  the  reptile.  The  thought  of  a  treachery 
like  that  implied  in  the  remark  of  his  companion  had  never 
occurred  to  him,  and  his  honest  mind  turned  with  a  strong 
disrelish  from  even  the  implied  proposition  of  the  other. 
Still,  he  was  not  quite  certain  how  far  Sir  Reginald  wished 
to  urge  him,  and  he  felt  it  just  to  ascertain  his  real  views 
before  he  answered  them.  Plausible  as  this  appeared,  it 
was  a  dangerous  delay  for  one  so  simple-minded,  when 
brought  in  contact  with  a  person  so  practised  as  the  baronet ; 
Sir  Reginald  having  the  tact  to  perceive  that  his  new 
friend's  feelings  had  already  taken  the  alarm,  and  at  once 
determined  to  be  more  wary. 

"What  am  I  to  understand  by  this,  Sir  Reginald  Wyche- 
combe?"  demanded  the  rear-admiral.  "In  what  manner 
can  I  possibly  be  connected  with  the  naval  resources  of  the 
House  of  Hanover,  when  it  is  my  intention  to  throw  off  its 
service?  King  George's  fleets  will  hardly  aid  the  Stuarts; 
and  they  will,  at  least,  obey  the  orders  of  their  own  officers." 

"  Not  the  least  doubt  in  the  world  of  this.  Admiral  Blue- 
water!  What  a  glorious  privilege  it  was  for  Monk  to  have 
it  in  his  power  to  put  his  liege  sovereign  in  his  rightful 
seat,  and  thus  to  save  the  empire,  by  a  coup  de  mai?i,  from 
the  pains  and  grievances  of  a  civil  contest!  Of  all  the 
glorious  names  in  English  history,  I  esteem  that  of  George 


298  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

Monk  as  the  one  most  to  be  envied!  It  is  a  great  thing  to 
be  a  prince — one  born  to  be  set  apart  as  God's  substitute 
on  earth,  in  all  that  relates  to  human  justice  and  human 
power; — yet  it  is  greater,  in  my  eyes,  to  be  the  subject  to 
restore  the  order  of  these  almost  divine  successions,  when 
once  deranged  by  lawless  and  presuming  men." 

"This  is  true  enough,  sir;  though  I  would  rather  have 
joined  Charles  on  the  beach  at  Dover,  armed  only  with 
an  untainted  sword,  than  followed  by  an  army  at  my 
heels!" 

"What,  when  that  army  followed  cheerfully^  and  was 
equally  eager  with  yourself  to  serve  their  sovereign!" 

"That,  indeed,  might  somewhat  qualify  the  feeling.  But 
soldiers  and  sailors  are  usually  influenced  by  the  opinions 
of  those  who  have  been  placed  over  them  by  the  higher 
authorities." 

"  No  doubt  they  are ;  and  that  is  as  it  should  be.  We 
are  encouraged  to  believe  that  some  ten  or  fifteen  captains 
are  already  well  disposed  toward  us,  and  will  cheerfully  take 
their  respective  ships  to  the  points  our  wants  require,  the 
moment  they  feel  assured  of  being  properly  led,  when  col- 
lected. By  a  little  timely  concert,  we  can  command  the 
North  Sea,  and  keep  open  important  communications  with 
the  continent.  It  is  known  the  ministry  intend  to  employ 
as  many  German  troops  as  they  can  assemble,  and  a  naval 
force  will  be  all-important  in  keeping  these  mustachioed 
foreigners  at  a  distance.  The  quarrel  is  purely  English,  sir, 
and  ought  to  be  decided  by  Englishmen  only." 

"  In  that,  indeed,  I  fully  concur.  Sir  Reginald,"  answered 
Bluewater,  breathing  more  freely.  "  I  would  cruise  a  whole 
winter  in  the  North  Sea  to  keep  the  Dutchmen  at  home,  and 
let  Englishmen  decide  who  is  to  be  England's  king.  To 
me,  foreign  interference,  in  such  a  matter,  is  the  next  evil 
to  positive  disloyalty  to  my  rightful  prince." 

"  These  are  exactly  my  sentiments,  dear  sir,  and  I  hope  to 
see  you  act  on  them.     By  the  way,  how  happens  it  you  are 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  299 

left  alone,  and  in  what  manner  do  you  admirals  divide  your 
authority  when  serving  in  company?" 

"  I  do  not  know  I  comprehend  your  question,  Sir  Regi- 
nald. I  am  left  here  to  sail  the  last  with  the  Caesar;  Sir 
Gervaise  leading  out  in  the  Plantagenet,  with  a  view  to 
draw  a  line  across  the  channel  that  shall  effectually  prevent 
de  Vervillin  from  getting  to  the  westward." 

"To  the  westward r'  repeated  the  other,  smiling  ironi- 
cally, though  the  darkness  prevented  the  admiral  from  see- 
ing the  expression  of  his  features.  "Does  Admiral  Oakes 
then  think  that  the  French  ships  are  steering  in  that  direc- 
tion?" 

"  Such  is  our  information  ;  have  you  any  reason  to  suppose 
that  the  enemy  intend  differently?" 

The  baronet  paused,  and  he  appeared  to  ruminate. 
Enough  had  already  passed  to  satisfy  him  he  had  not  an 
ordinary  mind  in  that  of  his  companion  to  deal  with,  and 
he  was  slightly  at  a  loss  how  to  answer.  To  bring  the  other 
within  his  lures,  he  was  fully  resolved ;  and  the  spirits  that 
aid  the  designing  just  at  that  moment  suggested  the  plan 
which,  of  all  others,  was  most  likely  to  be  successful. 
Bluewater  had  betrayed  his  aversion  to  the  interference  of 
foreign  troops  in  the  quarrel,  and  on  this  subject  he  in- 
tended to  strike  a  chord  which  he  rightly  fancied  would 
thrill  on  the  rear-admiral's  feelings. 

"We  have  our  information,  certainly,"  answered  Sir 
Reginald,  like  one  who  was  reluctant  to  tell  all  he  knew; 
"though  good  faith  requires  it  should  not  actually  be  ex- 
posed. Nevertheless,  any  one  can  reason  on  the  probabili- 
ties. The  Duke  of  Cumberland  will  collect  his  German 
auxiliaries,  and  they  must  get  into  England  the  best  way 
that  they  can.  Would  an  intelligent  enemy  with  a  well- 
appointed  fleet  suffer  this  junction,  if  he  could  prevent  it? 
We  know  he  would  not;  and  when  we  remember  the  precise 
time  of  the  sailing  of  the  Comte,  his  probable  ignorance  of 
the  presence  of  this  squadron  of  yours  in  the  Channel,  and 


300  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

all  the  other  circumstances  of  the  case,  who  can  suppose 
otherwise  than  to  believe  his  aim  is  to  intercept  the  German 
regiments." 

"  This  does  seem  plausible ;  and  yet  the  Active's  signals 
told  us  that  the  French  were  steering  west;  and  that,  too, 
with  a  light  westerly  wind." 

"Do  not  fleets,  like  armies,  frequently  make  false  demon- 
strations? Might  not  Monsieur  de  Vervillin,  so  long  as  his 
vessels  were  in  sight  from  the  shore,  have  turned  toward  the 
west,  with  an  intention,  as  soon  as  covered  by  the  darkness, 
to  incline  to  the  east  again,  and  sail  up  Channel,  under 
English  ensigns,  perhaps?  Is  it  not  possible  for  him  to 
pass  the  Straits  of  Dover,  even,  as  an  English  squadron — ■ 
your  own,  for  instance — and  thus  deceive  the  Hanoverian 
cruisers  until  ready  to  seize  or  destroy  any  transports  that 
may  be  sent?" 

"Hardly,  Sir  Reginald,"  said  Bluewater,  smiling.  "A 
French  ship  can  no  more  be  mistaken  for  an  English  ship, 
than  a  Frenchman  can  pass  for  a  Briton.  We  sailors  are 
not  as  easily  deceived  as  that  would  show.  It  is  true, 
however,  that  a  fleet  might  well  stand  in  one  direction,  until 
far  enough  off  the  land  or  covered  by  night,  when  it  might 
change  its  course  suddenly,  in  an  opposite  direction;  and 
it  is  possible  the  Comte  de  Vervillin  has  adopted  some  such 
stratagem.  If  he  actually  knew  of  the  intention  to  throw 
German  troops  into  the  island,  it  is  even  quite  probable. 
In  that  case,  for  one,  I  could  actually  wish  him  success!" 

"Well,  my  dear  sir,  and  what  is  to  prevent  it?"  asked  Sir 
Reginald,  with  a  triumph  that  was  not  feigned.  "  Nothing, 
you  will  say,  unless  he  fall  in  with  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes. 
But  you  have  not  answered  my  inquiry,  as  to  the  manner  in 
which  flag-officers  divide  their  commands,  at  sea?" 

"  As  soldiers  divide  their  commands  ashore.  The  supe- 
rior orders,  and  the  inferior  obeys." 

"Ay,  this  is  true;  but  it  does  not  meet  my  question. 
Here  are  eleven  large  ships,  and  two  admirals ;  now  what 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  3OI 

portion  of  these  ships  are  under  your  particular  orders,  and 
what  portion  under  those  of  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes?" 

"The  vice-admiral  has  assigned  to  himself  a  division  of 
six  of  the  ships,  and  left  me  the  other  five.  Each  of  us  has 
his  frigates  and  smaller  vessels.  But  an  order  that  the 
commander-in-chief  may  choose  to  give  any  captain  must 
be  obeyed  by  him,  as  the  inferior  submits,  as  a  rule,  to  the 
last  order." 

"  And  you^^^  resumed  Sir  Reginald,  with  quickness ;  "  how 
2X0. you  situated,  as  respects  these  captains?" 

"  Should  I  give  a  direct  order  to  any  captain  in  the  fleet, 
it  would  certainly  be  his  duty  to  obey  it;  though  circum- 
stances might  occur  which  would  render  it  obligatory  on  him 
to  let  me  know  that  he  had  different  instructions  from  our 
common  superior.     But  why  these  questions,  Sir  Reginald  V 

"  Your  patience,  my  dear  admiral ; — and  what  ships  have 
you  specifically  under  your  care?" 

"The  Caesar,  my  own;  the  Dublin,  the  Elizabeth,  the 
York,  and  the  Dover.  To  these  must  be  added  the  Druid 
frigate,  the  sloop  of  war,  and  the  Gnat.  My  division  num- 
bers eight  in  all." 

"  What  a  magnificent  force  to  possess  at  a  moment  as  crit- 
ical as  this! — But  where  are  all  these  vessels?  I  see  but 
four  and  a  cutter,  and  only  two  of  these  seem  to  be  large." 

"  The  light  you  perceive  there,  along  the  land  to  the  west- 
ward, is  on  board  the  Elizabeth;  and  that  broad  off  here,  in 
the  Channel,  is  on  board  the  York.  The  Dover's  lantern 
has  disappeared  further  to  the  southward.  Ah !  there  the 
Dublin  casts,  and  is  off  after  the  others!" 

"And  you  intend  to  follow.  Admiral  Bluewater?" 

"Within  an  hour,  or  I  shall  lose  the  division.  As  it  is, 
I  have  been  deliberating  on  the  propriety  of  calling  back 
the  sternmost  ships,  and  collecting  them  in  close  squadron; 
for  this  increase  and  hauling  of  the  wind  render  it  probable 
they  will  lose  the  vice-admiral,  and  that  daylight  will  find 
the  line  scattered  and  in  confusion.     One  mind  must  control 

/ 


302  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

the  movements  of  ships,  as  well  as  of  battalions,  Sir  Regi- 
nald, if  they  are  to  act  in  concert." 

"  With  what  view  would  you  collect  the  vessels  you  have 
mentioned,  and  in  the  -manner  you  have  named,  if  you  do 
not  deem  my  inquiry  indiscreet?"  demanded  the  baronet, 
with  quickness. 

"  Simply  that  they  might  be  kept  together,  and  brought  in 
subjection  to  my  own  particular  signals.  This  is  the  duty 
that  more  especially  falls  to  my  share,  as  head  of  the  divi- 
sion." 

"  Have  you  the  means  to  effect  this,  here,  on  this  hill,  and 
by  yourself,  sir?" 

"  It  would  be  a  great  oversight  to  neglect  so  important  a 
provision.  My  signal-officer  is  lying  under  yonder  cover, 
wrapped  in  his  cloak,  and  two  quartermasters  are  in  readi- 
ness to  make  the  very  signal  in  question;  for  its  necessity 
has  been  foreseen,  and  really  would  seem  to  be  approaching. 
If  done  at  all,  it  must  be  done  quickly,  too.  The  light  of 
the  York  grows  dim  in  the  distance.  It  shall  he  done,  sir; 
prudence  requires  it,  and  you  shall  see  the  manner  in  which 
we  hold  our  distant  ships  in  command." 

Bluewater  could  not  have  announced  more  agreeable  in- 
telligence to  his  companion.  Sir  Reginald  was  afraid  to 
propose  the  open  treason  he  meditated ;  but  he  fancied,  rf 
the  rear-admiral  could  fairly  withdraw  his  own  division 
from  the  fleet,  it  would  at  once  weaken  the  vice-admiral  so 
much  as  to  render  an  engagement  with  the  French  impossi- 
ble, and  might  lead  to  such  a  separation  of  the  commands 
as  to  render  the  final  defection  of  the  division  in-shore  easier 
of  accomplishment.  It  is  true,  Bluewater  himself  was  ac- 
tuated by  motives  directly  contrary  to  these  wishes;  but,  as 
the  parties  travelled  the  same  road  to  a  certain  point,  the 
intriguing  baronet  had  his  expectations  of  being  able  to 
persuade  his  new  friend  to  continue  on  in  his  own  route. 

Promptitude  is  a  military  virtue,  and,  among  seamen,  it  is 
a  maxim  to  do  everything  that  is  required  to  be  done  with 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  303 

activity  and  vigor.  These  laws  were  not  neglected  on  the 
present  occasion.  No  sooner  had  the  rear-admiral  deter- 
mined on  his  course  than  he  summoned  his  agents  to  put  it 
in  execution.  Lord  Geoffrey  had  returned  to  the  heights 
and  was  within  call,  and  he  carried  the  orders  to  the  lieu- 
tenant and  the  quartermasters.  The  lanterns  only  required 
lighting,  and  then  they  were  run  aloft  on  Button's  staff,  as 
regularly  as  the  same  duty  could  have  been  performed  on 
the  poop  of  the  Caesar.  Three  rockets  were  thrown  up,  im- 
mediately after,  and  the  gun  kept  on  the  cliffs  for  that  pur- 
pose was  fired,  to  draw  attention  to  the  signal.  It  might 
have  been  a  minute  ere  the  heavy  ordnance  of  the  Caisar  re- 
peated the  summons,  and  the  same  signal  was  shown  at  her 
masthead.  The  Dublin  was  still  so  near  that  no  time  was 
lost,  but,  according  to  orders,  she  too  repeated  the  signal ; 
for  in  the  line  that  night  it  was  understood  that  an  order  of 
this  nature  was  to  be  sent  from  ship  to  ship. 

"Now  for  the  Elizabeth!"  cried  Bluewater;  "she  cannot 
fail  to  have  heard  our  guns,  and  to  see  our  signals." 

"The  York  is  ahead  of  her,  sir!"  exclaimed  the  boy; 
"see;  she  has  the  signal  up  already!" 

All  this  passed  in  a  very  few  minutes,  the  last  ships  hav- 
ing sailed  in  the  expectation  of  receiving  some  such  recall. 
The  York  preceded  the  ship  next  to  her  in  the  line,  in  con- 
sequence of  having  gone  about,  and  being  actually  nearer  to 
the  rear-admiral  than  her  second  astern.  It  was  but  a  min- 
ute before  the  gun  and  the  lanterns  of  the  Elizabeth,  how- 
ever, announced  her  knowledge  of  the  order,  also. 

The  two  ships  last  named  were  no  longer  visible  from 
the  cliffs,  though  their  positions  were  known  by  their  lights; 
but  no  sign  whatever  indicated  the  part  of  the  ocean  on 
which  the  Dover  was  struggling  along  through  the  billows. 
After  a  pause  of  several  minutes,  Bluewater  spoke. 

"I  fear  we  shall  collect  no  more,"  he  said;  "one  of  my 
ships  must  take  her  chance  to  find  the  commander-in-chief, 
alone.     Ha! — that  means  something!" 


304  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

At  that  instant  a  faint,  distant  flash  was  seen,  for  a  single 
moment,  in  the  gloom,  and  then  all  heads  were  bent  forward 
to  listen,  in  breathless  attention.  A  little  time  had  elapsed, 
when  the  dull,  smothered  report  of  a  gun  proclaimed  that 
even  the  Dover  had  caught  the  rapidly  transmitted  order. 

"What  means  that,  sir?"  eagerly  demanded  Sir  Reginald, 
who  had  attended  to  everything  with  intense  expectation. 

"  It  means,  sir,  that  all  of  the  division  are  still  under  my 
command.  No  other  ship  would  note  the  order.  Their  di- 
rections, unless  specifically  pointed  out  by  their  numbers, 
must  come  from  the  vice-admiral.  Is  my  barge  ashore. 
Lord  Geoffrey  Cleveland?" 

"  It  is,  sir,  as  well  as  the  cutter  for  Mr.  Cornet  and  the 
quartermasters." 

"It  is  well.  Gentlemen,  we  will  go  on  board;  the  Caesar 
must  weigh  and  join  the  other  vessels  in  the  offing.  I  will 
follow  you  to  the  landing,  but  you  will  shove  off,  at  once, 
and  desire  Captain  Stowel  to  weigh  and  cast  to  port.  We 
will  fill  on  the  starboard  tack,  and  haul  directly  off  the 
land." 

The  whole  party  immediately  left  the  station,  hurrying 
down  to  the  boats,  leaving  Bluewater  and  Sir  Reginald  to 
follow  more  leisurely.  It  was  a  critical  moment  for  the 
baronet,  who  had  so  nearly  effected  his  purpose  that  his 
disappointment  would  have  been  double  did  he  fail  of  his 
object  altogether.  He  determined,  therefore,  not  to  quit  the 
admiral  while  there  was  the  slightest  hope  of  success.  The 
two  consequently  descended  together  to  the  shore,  walking, 
for  the  first  minute  or  two,  in  profound  silence. 

"  A  great  game  is  in  your  hands,  Admiral  Bluewater," 
resumed  the  baronet;  "rightly  played,  it  may  secure  the 
triumph  of  the  good  cause.  I  think  I  may  say  I  know  de 
Vervillin's  object,  and  that  his  success  will  reseat  the  Stu- 
arts on  the  thrones  of  their  ancestors !  One  who  loves  them 
should  ponder  well  before  he  does  aught  to  mar  so  glorious 
a  result." 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  30$ 

This  speech  was  as  bold  as  it  was  artful.  In  point  of 
fact,  Sir  Reginald  Wychecombe  knew  no  more  of  the  Comte 
de  Vervillin's  intended  movements  than  his  companion ;  but 
he  did  not  hesitate  to  assert  what  he  now  did,  in  order  to 
obtain  a  great  political  advantage,  in  a  moment  of  so  much 
importance.  To  commit  Bluewater  and  his  captains  openly 
on  the  side  of  the  Stuarts  would  be  a  great  achievement  in 
itself;  to  frustrate  the  plans  of  Sir  Gervaise  might  safely  be 
accounted  another;  and,  then,  there  were  all  the  chances 
that  the  Frenchman  was  not  at  sea  for  nothing,  and  that  his 
operations  might  indeed  succor  the  movements  of  the  prince. 
The  baronet,  upright  as  he  was  in  other  matters,  had  no 
scruples  of  conscience  on  this  occasion ;  having  long  since 
brought  himself  over  to  the  belief  that  it  was  justifiable  to 
attain  ends  as  great  as  those  he  had  in  view,  by  the  sacrifice 
of  any  of  the  minor  moral  considerations. 

The  effect  on  Bluewater  was  not  trifling.  The  devil  had 
placed  the  bait  before  his  eyes  in  a  most  tempting  form ; 
for  he  felt  that  he  had  only  to  hold  his  division  in  reserve  to 
render  an  engagement  morally  improbable.  Abandon  his 
friend  to  a  superior  force  he  could  and  would  not ;  but  it  is 
our  painful  duty  to  avow  that  his  mind  had  glimpses  of  the 
possibility  of  doing  the  adventurer  in  Scotland  a  great  good, 
without  doing  the  vice-admiral  and  the  van  of  the  fleet  any 
very  essential  harm.  Let  us  be  understood,  however.  The 
rear-admiral  did  not  even  contemplate  treason  or  serious 
defection  of  any  sort;  but,  through  one  of  those  avenues  of 
frailty  by  which  men  are  environed,  he  had  a  glance  at  results 
that  the  master-spirit  of  evil  momentarily  placed  before  his 
mental  vision  as  both  great  and  glorious. 

"  I  wish  we  were  really  certain  of  de  Vervillin's  object," 
he  said;  the  only  concession  he  made  to  this  novel  feeling, 
in  words.  "It  might,  indeed,  throw  a  great  light  on  the 
course  we  ought  to  take  ourselves.  I  do  detest  this  German 
alliance,  and  would  abandon  the  service  ere  I  would  convoy 
or  transport  a  ragamufhn  of  them  all  to  England." 
20 


306  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

Here  Sir  Reginald  proved  how  truly  expert  he  was  in  the 
arts  of  management.  A  train  of  thought  and  feeling  had 
been  lighted  in  the  mind  of  his  companion,  which  he  felt 
might  lead  to  all  he  wished,  while  he  was  apprehensive  that 
further  persuasion  would  awaken  opposition,  and  renew  old 
sentiments.  He  wisely  determined,  therefore,  to  leave 
things  as  they  were,  trusting  to  the  strong  and  declared  bias 
of  the  admiral  in  favor  of  the  revolution,  to  work  out  its  own 
consequences,  with  a  visible  and  all-important  advantage  so 
prominently  placed  before  his  eyes. 

"I  know  nothing  of  ships,"  he  answered  modestly;  "but 
I  do  k7iow  that  the  Comte  has  our  succor  in  view.  It  would 
ill  become  me  to  advise  one  of  your  experience  how  to  lead 
a  force  like  this,  which  is  subject  to  your  orders;  but  a 
friend  of  the  good  cause,  who  is  now  in  the  west,  and  who 
was  lately  in  the  presence  itself,  tells  me  that  the  prince 
manifested  extreme  satisfaction  when  he  learned  how  much 
it  might  be  in  your  power  to  serve  him." 

"  Do  you  then  think  my  name  has  reached  the  royal  ear, 
and  that  the  prince  has  any  knowledge  of  my  real  feelings?" 

"  Nothing  but  your  extreme  modesty  could  cause  you  to 
doubt  the  first,  sir;  as  to  the  last,  ask  yourself  how  came  I 
to  approach  you  to-night,  with  my  heart  in  my  hand,  as  it 
might  be,  making  you  master  of  my  life  as  well  a^3  of  my 
secret.  Love  and  hatred  are  emotions  that  soon  betray 
themselves." 

It  is  matter  of  historical  truth  that  men  of  the  highest 
principles  and  strongest  minds  have  yielded  to  the  flattery 
of  rank.  Bluewater's  political  feelings  had  rendered  him 
indifferent  to  the  blandishm.ents  of  the  court  at  London, 
while  his  imagination,  that  chivalrous  deference  to  antiquity 
and  political  right,  which  lay  at  the  root  of  his  Jacobitism, 
and  his  brooding  sympathies,  disposed  him  but  too  well  to 
become  the  dupe  of  language  like  this.  Had  he  been  more 
a  man  of  facts,  one  less  under  the  influence  of  his  own  im- 
agination ;  had  it  been  his  good  fortune  to  live  even  in  con- 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  307 

tact  with  those  he  now  so  devoutly  worshipped,  in  a  political 
sense  at  least,  their  influence  over  a  mind  as  just  and  clear- 
sighted as  his  own,  would  soon  have  ceased;  but,  passing 
his  time  at  sea,  they  had  the  most  powerful  auxiliary  possi- 
ble, in  the  high  faculty  he  possessed  of  fancying  things  as 
he  wished  them  to  be.  No  wonder,  then,  that  he  heard  this 
false  assertion  of  Sir  Reginald  with  a  glow  of  pleasure; 
with  even  a  thrill  at  the  heart  to  which  he  had  long  been  a 
stranger.  For  a  time,  his  better  feelings  were  smothered  in 
this  new  and  treacherous  sensation. 

The  gentlemen,  by  this  time,  were  at  the  landing,  and  it 
became  necessary  to  separate.  The  barge  of  the  rear-admiral 
was  with  difficulty  kept  from  leaping  on  the  rock,  by  means 
of  oars  and  boat-hooks,  and  each  instant  rendered  the  em- 
barkation more  and  more  difficult.  The  moments  were 
precious  on  more  accounts  than  one,  and  the  leave-taking 
was  short.  Sir  Reginald  said  but  little,  though  he  intended 
the  pressure  of  the  hand  he  gave  his  companion  to  express 
everything. 

"  God  be  with  you,"  he  added  *'  and  as  you  prove  true, 
may  you  prove  successful !  Remember,  '  a  lawful  prince, 
and  the  claims  of  birthright.'     God  be  with  you!" 

"Adieu,  Sir  Reginald;  when  w^e  next  meet,  the  future 
will  probably  be  more  apparent  to  us  all. — But  who  comes 
hither,  rushing  like  a  madman  toward  the  boat.-'" 

A  form  came  leaping  through  the  darkness ;  nor  was  it 
known,  until  it  stood  within  two  feet  of  Bluewater,  it  was 
that  of  Wycherly.  He  had  heard  the  guns  and  seen  the 
signals.  Guessing  at  the  reasons,  he  dashed  from  the  park, 
which  he  was  pacing  to  cool  his  agitation,  and  which  now 
owned  him  for  a  master,  and  ran  the  whole  distance  to  the 
shore,  in  order  not  to  be  left.  His  arrival  was  most  oppor- 
tune; for,  in  another  minute,  the  barge  left  the  rock. 


308  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

*•  O'er  the  glad  waters  of  the  dark  blue  sea, 
Our  thoughts  as  boundless,  and  our  souls  as  free. 
Far  as  the  breeze  can  bear,  the  billows  foam, 
Survey  our  empire  and  behold  our  home." 

The  Corsair. 

One  is  never  fully  aware  of  the  extent  of  the  movement  that 
agitates  the  bosom  of  the  ocean  until  fairly  subject  to  its 
action  himself,  when  indeed  we  all  feel  its  power  and  reason 
closely  on  its  dangers.  The  first  pitch  of  his  boat  told 
Bluewater  that  the  night  threatened  to  be  serious.  As  the 
lusty  oarsmen  bent  to  their  stroke,  the  barge  rose  on  a  swell, 
dividing  the  foam  that  glanced  past  it  like  a  marine  Aurora 
Borealis,  and  then  plunged  into  the  trough  as  if  descending 
to  the  bottom.  It  required  several  united  and  vigorous 
efforts  to  force  the  little  craft  from  its  dangerous  vicinity  to 
the  rocks,  and  to  get  it  in  perfect  command.  This  once 
done,  however,  the  well -practised  crew  urged  the  barge 
slowly  but  steadily  ahead. 

"A  dirty  night! — a  dirty  night!"  muttered  Bluewater,  un- 
consciously to  himself;  "we  should  have  had  a  wild  berth, 
had  we  rode  out  this  blow  at  anchor.  Oakes  will  have  a 
heavy  time  of  it  out  yonder  in  the  very  chops  of  the  Chan- 
nel, with  a  westerly  swell  heaving  in  against  this  ebb." 

"Yes,  sir,"  answered  Wycherly;  "the  vice-admiral  will 
be  looking  out  for  us  all,  anxiously  enough,  in  the  morning." 

Not  another  syllable  did  Bluewater  utter  until  his  boat 
had  touched  the  side  of  the  Caesar.  He  reflected  deeply  on 
his  situation,  and  those  who  know  his  feelings  will  easily 
understand  that  his  reflections  were  not  altogether  free  from 
pain.  Such  as  they  were,  he  kept  them  to  himself,  however, 
and  in  a  man-of-war's  boat,  when  a  flag-officer  chooses  to  be 
silent,  it  is  a  matter  of  course  for  his  inferiors  to  imitate  his 
example. 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  3O9 

The  barge  was  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  landing, 
when  the  heavy  flap  of  the  Caesar's  main-topsail  was  heard, 
as,  close-reefed,  it  struggled  for  freedom,  while  her  crew 
drew  its  sheets  down  to  the  blocks  on  the  lower  yard-arms. 
A  minute  later,  the  Gnat,  under  the  head  of  her  fore-and-aft 
mainsail,  was  seen  standing  slowly  off  from  the  land,  look- 
ing in  the  darkness  like  some  half-equipped  shadow  of  her- 
self. The  sloop  of  war,  too,  was  seen  bending  low  to  the 
force  of  the  wind,  with  her  mere  apology  of  a  topsail  thrown 
aback,  in  waiting  for  the  flagship  to  cast. 

The  surface  of  the  waters  was  a  sheet  of  glancing  foam, 
while  the  air  was  filled  with  the  blended  sounds  of  the  wash 
of  the  element  and  the  roar  of  the  winds.  Still  there  was 
nothing  chilling  or  repulsive  in  the  temperature  of  the  air, 
which  was  charged  with  the  freshness  of  the  sea,  and  was 
bracing  and  animating,  bringing  with  it  the  flavor  that  a 
seaman  loves.  After  fully  fifteen  minute's  severe  tugging 
at  the  oars,  the  barge  drew  near  enough  to  permit  the  black 
mass  of  the  Caesar  to  be  seen.  For  some  time,  Lord 
Geoffrey,  who  had  seated  himself  at  the  tiller — yoke- lines 
were  not  used  a  century  since — steered  by  the  top-light  of 
the  rear-admiral;  but  now  the  maze  of  hamper  was  seen 
waving  slowly  to  and  fro  in  the  lurid  heavens,  and  the  huge 
hull  became  visible,  heaving  and  setting,  as  if  the  ocean 
groaned  with  the  labor  of  lifting  such  a  pile  of  wood  and 
iron.  A  light  gleamed  from  the  cabin  windows,  and  ever 
and  anon  one  glanced  athwart  an  open  gunroom  port.  In 
all  other  respects,  the  ship  presented  but  one  hue  of  black- 
ness. Nor  was  it  an  easy  undertaking,  even  after  the  barge 
was  under  the  lee  of  the  ship,  for  those  in  it  to  quit  its 
uneasy  support  and  get  a  firm  footing  on  the  elects  that 
lined  the  vessel's  side  like  a  ladder.  This  was  done,  how- 
ever, and  all  ascended  to  the  deck  but  two  of  the  crew,  who 
remained  to  hook  on  the  yard  and  stay  tackles.  This 
effected,  the  shrill  whistle  gave  the  word,  and  that  large 
boat,  built  to  carry  at  need  some  twenty  souls,  was  raised 


3IO  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

from  the  raging  water,  as  it  were  by  some  gigantic  effort  of 
the  ship  herself,  and  safely  deposited  in  her  bosom. 

"  We  are  none  too  soon,  sir,"  said  Stowel,  the  moment  he 
had  received  the  rear-admiral  with  the  customary  etiquette 
of  the  hour.  "  It's  a  capful  of  wind  already,  and  it  promises 
to  blow  harder  before  morning.  We  are  catted  and  fished, 
sir,  and  the  forecastlemen  are  passing  the  shank-painter  at 
this  moment." 

"  Fill,  sir,  and  stretch  off,  on  an  easy  bowline,"  was  the 
answer;  "when  a  league  in  the  offing,  let  me  know  it.  Mr. 
Cornet,  I  have  need  of  you,  in  my  cabin." 

As  this  was  said,  Bluewater  went  below,  followed  by  his 
signal-officer.  At  the  same  instant  the  first  lieutenant 
called  out  to  man  the  main-braces,  and  to  fill  the  topsail. 
As  soon  as  this  command  was  obeyed,  the  Caesar  started 
ahead.  Her  movement  was  slow,  but  it  had  a  majesty  in  it 
that  set  at  naught  the  turbulence  of  the  elements. 

Bluewater  had  paced  to  and  fro  in  his  cabin  no  less  than 
six  times,  with  his  head  drooping,  in  a  thoughtful  attitude, 
ere  his  attention  was  called  to  any  external  object. 

"Do  you  wish  my  presence,  Admiral  Bluewater?"  the 
signal-officer  at  length  inquired. 

"  I  ask  your  pardon,  Mr,  Cornet;  I  was  really  unconscious 
that  you  were  in  the  cabin.  Let  me  see — ay — our  last  sig- 
nal was,  *  Division  come  within  hail  of  rear-admiral.'  They 
must  get  close  to  us,  to  be  able  to  do  that  to-night.  Cornet! 
The  winds  and  waves  have  begun  their  song  in  earnest." 

"  And  yet,  sir,  I'll  venture  a  month's  pay  that  Captain 
Drinkwater  brings  the  Dover  so  near  us  as  to  put  the  officer 
of  the  watch  and  the  quartermaster  at  the  wheel  in  a  fever. 
We  once  made  that  signal,  in  a  gale  of  wind,  and  he  passed 
his  jib-boom  end  over  our  taffrail." 

"  He  is  certainly  a  most  literal  gentleman,  that  Captain 
Drinkwater,  but  he  knows  how  to  take  care  of  his  ship. 
Look  for  the  number  of  *  Follow  the  rear-admiral's  motions.' 
*Tis2n,  I  think." 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  3  r  I 

"No,  sir;  but  212.  Blue,  red,  and  white,  with  the  flags. 
With  the  lanterns,  'tis  one  of  the  simplest  signals  we  have." 

"We  will  make  it,  at  once.  When  that  is  done,  show 
*  The  rear-admiral ;  keep  in  his  wake,  in  the  general  order 
of  sailing.'     That  I  am  sure  is  204." 

"Yes,  sir;  you  are  quite  right.  Shall  I  show  the  second 
signal  as  soon  as  all  the  vessels  have  answered  the  first, 
sir?" 

"  That  is  ni}^  intention.  Cornet.  When  all  have  answered, 
let  me  know  it." 

Mr.  Cornet  now  left  the  cabin,  and  Bluewater  took  a  seat 
in  an  arm-chair,  in  deep  meditation.  For  quite  half  an  hour 
the  former  w^as  busy  on  the  poop,  wdth  his  two  quartermas- 
ters, going  through  the  slow  and  far  from  easy  duty  of  mak- 
ing night-signals,  as  they  were  then  practised  at  sea.  It 
was  some  time  before  the  most  distant  vessel,  the  Dover, 
gave  any  evidence  of  comprehending  the  first  order,  and 
then  the  same  tardy  operation  had  to  be  gone  through  with 
for  the  second.  At  length  the  sentinel  threw  open  the  cabin- 
door,  and  Cornet  reappeared.  During  the  whole  of  his  ab- 
sence on  deck,  Bluewater  had  not  stirred ;  scarce  seemed  to 
breathe.  His  thoughts  w^ere  away  from  his  ships,  and  for 
the  first  time,  in  the  ten  years  he  had  worn  a  flag,  he  had 
forgotten  the  order  he  had  given. 

"The  signals  are  made  and  answered,  sir,"  said  Cornet, 
as  soon  as  he  had  advanced  to  the  edge  of  the  table,  on 
which  the  rear-admiral's  elbow  was  leaning.  "The  Dublin 
is  already  in  our  wake,  and  the  Elizabeth  is  bearing  down 
fast  on  our  weather- quarter;  she  will  bring  herself  into  her 
station  in  ten  minutes." 

"What  news  of  the  York  and  Dover,  Comet?"  asked 
Bluewater,  rousing  himself  from  a  fit  of  deep  abstraction. 

"The  York's  light  nears  us,  quite  evidently;  though  that 
of  the  Dover  is  still  a  fixed  star,  sir,"  answered  the  lieuten- 
ant, chuckling  a  little  at  his  own  humor;  "it  seems  no 
larger  than  it  did  when  we  first  made  it." 


312  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"  It  is  something  to  have  made  it  at  all.  I  was  not  aware 
it  could  be  seen  from  deck?" 

"Nor  can  it,  sir;  but  by  going  up  half-a-dozen  ratlins 
we  get  a  look  at  it.  Captain  Drinkwater  bowses  up  his 
lights  to  the  gaff -end,  and  I  can  see  him  always  ten  minutes 
sooner  than  any  other  ship  in  the  fleet,  under  the  same  cir- 
cumstances." 

"Drinkwater  is  a  careful  officer;  do  the  bearings  of  his 
light  alter  enough  to  tell  the  course  he  is  steering?" 

"  I  think  they  do,  sir,  though  our  standing  out  athwart  his 
line  of  sailing  would  make  the  change  slow,  of  course. 
Every  foot  we  get  to  the  southward,  you  know,  sir,  would 
throw  his  bearings  farther  west ;  while  every  foot  he  comes 
east  would  counteract  that  change  and  throw  his  bearings 
further  south." 

"  That's  very  clear ;  but,  as  he  must  go  three  fathoms  to 
our  one,  running  off  with  square  yards  before  such  a  breeze, 
I  think  we  should  be  constantly  altering  his  bearings  to  the 
southward." 

"No  doubt  of  it,  in  the  world,  sir;  and  that  is  just  what 
we  are  doing.  I  think  I  can  see  a  difference  of  half  a 
point,  already;  but,  when  we  get  his  light  fairly  in  view 
from  the  poop,  we  shall  be  able  to  tell  with  perfect  ac- 
curacy." 

"All  very  well.  Comet.  Do  me  the  favor  to  desire  Cap- 
tain Stowel  to  step  into  the  cabin ;  and  keep  a  bright  look- 
out for  the  ships  of  the  division.  Stay,  for  a  single  instant; 
what  particularly  sharp-eyed  youngster  happens  to  belong  to 
the  watch  on  deck?" 

"  I  know  none  keener  in  that  way  than  Lord  Geoffrey 
Cleveland,  sir;  he  can  see  all  the  roguery  that  is  going  on 
in  the  whole  fleet,  at  any  rate,  and  ought  to  see  other 
things." 

"  He  will  do  perfectly  well ;  send  the  young  gentleman  to 
me,  sir ;  but  first  inform  the  officer  of  the  watch  that  I  have 
need  of  him." 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  313 

Bluewater  was  unusually  fastidious  in  exercising  his 
authority  over  those  who  had  temporary  superiors  on  the 
assigned  duty  of  the  ship ;  and  he  never  sent  an  order  to 
any  of  the  watch,  without  causing  it  to  pass  through  the  offi- 
cer of  that  watch.  He  waited  but  a  minute  before  the  boy 
appeared. 

"Have  you  a  good  gripe  to-night,  boy?"  asked  the  rear- 
admiral,  smiling;  "  or  will  it  be  both  hands  for  yourself  and 
none  for  the  king?  I  want  you  on  the  fore-topgallant  yard, 
for  eight  or  ten  minutes." 

"Well,  sir,  it's  a  plain  road  there,  and  one  I've  often  trav- 
elled," returned  the  lad,  cheerfully. 

"  That  I  well  know;  you  are  certainly  no  skulk  when  duty 
is  to  be  done.  Go  aloft  then,  and  ascertain  if  the  lights  of 
any  of  Sir  Gervaise's  squadron  are  to  be  seen.  You  will 
remember  that  the  Dover  bears  somewhere  about  southwest 
from  us,  and  that  she  is  still  a  long  way  to  seaward.  I 
should  think  all  of  Sir  Gervaise's  ships  must  be  quite  as  far 
to  windward  as  that  point  would  bring  them,  but  much  far- 
ther off.  By  looking  sharp  a  point  or  half  a  point  to  wind- 
ward of  the  Dover,  you  may  possibly  see  the  light  of  the 
Warspite,  and  then  we  shall  get  a  correct  idea  of  the  bear- 
ings of  all  the  rest  of  the  division " 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir,"  interrupted  the  boy ;  "  I  think  I  understand 
exactly  what  you  wish  to  know,  Admiral  Bluewater." 

"That  is  a  natural  gift  at  sixteen,  my  lord,"  returned  the 
admiral,  smiling;  "  but  it  may  be  improved  a  little,  perhaps, 
by  the  experience  of  fifty.  Now  it  is  possible  Sir  Gervaise 
may  have  gone  about,  as  soon  as  the  flood  made;  in  which 
case  he  ought  to  bear  nearly  west  of  us,  and  you  will  also 
look  in  that  direction.  On  the  other  hand.  Sir  Gervaise 
may  have  stretched  so  far  over  toward  the  French  coast  be- 
fore night  shut  in  as  to  feel  satisfied  Monsieur  de  Vervillin 
is  still  to  the  eastward  of  him ;  in  which  case  he  would  keep 
off  a  little,  and  may,  at  this  moment,  be  nearly  ahead  of  us. 
So  that,  under  all  the  circumstances,  you  will  sweep  the 


314  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

horizon,  from  the  weather-beam  to  the  lee-bow,  ranging 
forward.     Am  I  understood,  now,  my  lord?" 

"  Yes,  sir,  I  think  you  are,"  answered  the  boy,  blushing 
at  his  own  impetuosity.  "  You  will  excuse  my  indiscretion, 
Admiral  Bluewater;  but  I  thought  I  understood  all  you 
desired,  when  I  spoke  so  hastily." 

"  No  doubt  you  did,  Geoffrey,  but  you  perceive  you  did 
not.  Nature  has  made  you  quick  of  apprehension,  but  not 
quick  enough  to  foresee  all  an  old  man's  gossip.  Come 
nearer,  now,  and  let  us  shake  hands.  So  go  aloft,  and  hold 
on  well,  for  it  is  a  windy  night,  and  I  do  not  desire  to  lose 
you  overboard." 

The  boy  did  as  told,  squeezed  Bluewater's  hand,  and 
dashed  out  of  the  cabin  to  conceal  his  tears.  As  for  the 
rear-admiral,  he  immediately  relapsed  into  his  fit  of  forget- 
fulness,  waiting  for  the  arrival  of  Stowel, 

A  summons  to  a  captain  does  not  as  immediately  produce 
a  visit,  on  board  a  vessel  of  war,  as  a  summons  to  a  mid- 
shipman. Captain  Stowel  was  busy  in  looking  at  the  man- 
ner in  which  his  boats  were  stowed,  when  Cornet  told  him 
of  the  rear-admiral's  request;  and  then  he  had  to  give  some 
orders  to  the  first  lieutenant  concerning  the  fresh  meat  that 
had  been  got  off,  and  one  or  two  other  similar  little  things, 
before  he  was  at  leisure  to  comply. 

"See  me,  do  you  say,  Mr.  Cornet;  in  his  own  cabin,  as 
soon  as  it  is  convenient?"  he  at  length  remarked,  when  all 
these  several  offices  had  been  duly  performed. 

The  signal -officer  repeated  the  request,  word  for  word  as 
he  had  heard  it,  when  he  turned  to  take  another  look  at  the 
light  of  the  Dover.  As  for  Stowel,  he  cared  no  more  for 
the  Dover,  windy  and  dark  as  the  night  promised  to  be, 
than  the  burgher  is  apt  to  care  for  his  neighbor's  house 
when  the  whole  street  is  threatened  with  destruction.  To 
him  the  Caesar  was  the  great  centre  of  attraction,  and  Cornet 
paid  him  off  in  kind ;  for,  of  all  the  vessels  in  the  fleet,  the 
Caesar  was  precisely  the  one  to  which  he  save  the  least 


.     THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  3l5 

attention ;  and  this  for  the  simple  reason  that  she  was  the 
only  ship  to  which  he  never  gave,  or  from  which  he  never 
received,  a  signal. 

"Well,  Mr.  Bluff,"  said  Stowel  to  the  first  lieutenant; 
"one  of  us  will  have  to  be  on  deck  most  of  the  night,  and 
I'll  take  a  slant  below,  for  half  an  hour  first,  and  see  what 
the  admiral  wishes." 

Thus  saying,  the  captain  left  the  deck,  in  order  to  ascer- 
tain his  superior's  pleasure.  Captain  Stowel  was  several 
years  the  senior  of  Bluewater,  having  actually  been  a  lieu- 
tenant in  one  of  the  frigates  in  which  the  rear-admiral  had 
served  as  a  midshipman;  a  circumstance  to  which  he  occa- 
sionally alluded  in  their  present  intercourse.  The  change 
in  the  relative  positions  was  the  result  of  the  family  influ- 
ence of  the  junior,  who  had  passed  his  senior  in  the  grade 
of  master  and  commander;  a  rank  that  then  brought  many 
an  honest  man  up  for  life,  in  the  English  marine.  At  the 
age  of  five-and-forty,  that  at  which  Bluewater  first  hoisted 
his  flag,  Stowel  was  posted;  and  soon  after  he  was  invited 
by  his  old  shipmate,  who  had  once  had  him  under  him  as 
his  first  lieutenant  in  a  sloop  of  war,  to  take  the  command 
of  his  flagship.  From  that  day  down  to  the  present  moment, 
the  two  officers  had  sailed  together,  whenever  they  sailed  at 
all,  perfectly  good  friends;  though  the  captain  never  ap- 
peared entirely  to  forget  the  time  when  they  were  in  the 
aforesaid  frigate;  one  a  gunroom  officer,  and  the  other  only 
a  "  youngster." 

Stowel  must  now  have  been  about  sixty-five ;  a  square, 
hard-featured,  red-faced  seaman,  who  knew  all  about  his 
ship,  from  her  truck  to  her  limber-rope,  but  who  troubled 
himself  very  little  about  anything  else.  He  had  married  a 
widow  when  he  was  posted,  but  was  childless,  and  had  long 
since  permitted  his  affections  to  wander  back  into  their 
former  channels;  from  the  domestic  hearth  to  his  ship. 
He  seldom  spoke  of  matrimony,  but  the  little  he  saw  fit  to 
say  on  the  subject  was  comprehensive  and  to  the  point.     A 


3l6  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

perfectly  sober  man,  he  consumed  large  quantities  of  both 
wine  and  brandy,  as  well  as  of  tobacco,  and  never  seemed 
to  be  the  worse  for  either.  Loyal  he  was  by  political  faith, 
and  he  looked  upon  a  revolution,  let  its  object  be  what  it 
might,  as  he  would  have  regarded  a  mutiny  in  the  Caesar. 
He  was  exceedingly  pertinacious  of  his  rights  as  "  captain 
of  his  own  ship,"  both  ashore  and  afloat;  a  disposition  that 
produced  less  trouble  with  the  mild  and  gentlemanly  rear- 
admiral,  than  with  Mrs.  Stowel.  If  we  add  that  this  plain 
sailor  never  looked  into  a  book,  his  proper  scientific  works 
excepted,  we  shall  have  said  all  of  h^m  that  his  connection 
with  our  tale  demands. 

"  Good-evening,  Admiral  Bluewater,"  said  this  true  tar, 
saluting  the  rear-admiral,  as  one  neighbor  would  greet  an- 
other, on  dropping  in  of  an  evening,  for  they  occupied 
different  cabins.  "  Mr.  Cornet  told  me  you  would  like  to 
say  a  word  to  me,  before  I  turned  in ;  if,  indeed,  turn  in  at 
all  I  do  this  blessed  night." 

"  Take  a  seat,  Stowel,  and  a  glass  of  this  sherry,  in  the 
bargain,"  Bluewater  answered  kindly,  showing  how  well  he 
understood  his  man,  by  the  manner  in  which  he  shoved  both 
bottle  and  glass  within  reach  of  his  hand.  "  How  goes  the 
night? — and  is  this  wind  likely  to  stand?" 

"I'm  of  opinion,  sir — we'll  drink  His  Majesty,  if  youVe 
no  objection.  Admiral  Bluewater — I'm  of  opinion,  we  shall 
stretch  the  threads  of  that  new  main-topsail,  before  we've 
done  with  the  breeze,  sir.  I  believe  I've  not  told  you,  yet, 
that  I've  had  the  new  sail  bent,  since  w'e  last  spoke  together 
on  the  subject.  It's  a  good  fit,  sir;  and,  close-reefed,  the 
sails  stands  like  the  side  of  a  house." 

"I'm  glad  to  hear  it,  Stowel;  though  I  think  all  your 
canvas  usually  appears  to  be  in  its  place." 

"  Why,  you  know.  Admiral  Bluewater,  that  I've  been  long 
enough  at  it,  to  understand  something  about  the  matter.  It 
is  now  more  than  forty  years  since  we  were  in  the  Calypso 
together,  and  ever  since  that  time  I've  borne  the  commission 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  31/ 

of  an  officer.  You  were  then  a  youngster,  and  thought  more 
of  your  joke  than  of  bending  sails,  or  of  seeing  how  they 
would  stand." 

"There  wasn't  much  of  me,  certainly,  forty  years  ago, 
Stowel ;  but  I  well  remember  the  knack  you  had  of  making 
every  robin,  sheet,  bowline,  and  thread  do  its  duty,  then,  as 
you  do  to-day.  By  the  way,  can  you  tell  me  anything  of  the 
Dover,  this  evening.''" 

"  Not  I,  sir ;  she  came  out  with  the  rest  of  us,  I  suppose, 
and  must  be  somewhere  in  the  fleet;  though  I  dare  say  the 
log  will  have  it  all,  if  she  has  been  anywhere  near  us,  lately. 
I  am  sorry  we  did  not  go  into  one  of  the  watering-ports,  in- 
stead of  this  open  roadstead,  for  we  must  be  at  least  twenty- 
seven  hundred  gallons  short  of  what  we  ought  to  have,  by 
my  calculation ;  and  then  we  want  a  new  set  of  light  spars, 
pretty  much  all  round;  and  the  lower  hold  hasn't  as  many 
barrels  of  provisions  in  it,  by  thirty  odd,  as  I  could  wish  to 
see  there." 

"  I  leave  these  things  to  you,  entirely,  Stowel ;  you  will 
report  in  time  to  keep  the  ship  efficient." 

"No  fear  of  the  Caesar,  sir;  for,  between  Mr.  Bluff,  the 
master,  and  myself,  we  know  pretty  much  all  about  her ; 
though  I  dare  say  there  are  men  in  the  fleet  who  can  tell 
you  more  about  the  Dublin,  or  the  Dover,  or  the  York.  We 
will  drink  the  queen,  and  all  the  royal  family,  if  you  please, 
sir." 

As  usual,  Bluewater  merely  bowed,  for  his  companion 
required  no  further  acquiescence  in  his  toasts.  Just  at  that 
moment,  too,  it  would  have  needed  a  general  order,  at  least,  to 
induce  him  to  drink  any  of  the  family  of  the  reigning  house. 

"  Oakes  must  be  well  off,  mid-channel,  by  this  time,  Cap- 
tain Stowel  ?" 

"I  should  think  he  might  be,  sir;  though  I  can't  say  I 
took  particular  notice  of  the  time  he  sailed,  I  dare  say  it's 
all  in  the  log.  The  Plantagenet  is  a  fast  ship,  sir,  and 
Captain  Greenly  understands  her  trim,  and  what  she  can  do 


3l8  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

on  all  tacks;  and,  yet,  I  do  think  His  Majesty  has  one  ship 
in  this  fleet  that  can  find  a  Frenchman  quite  as  soon,  and 
deal  with  him,  when  found,  quite  as  much  to  the  purpose." 

"Of  course  you  mean  the  Caesar; — well,  I'm  quite  of  your 
way  of  thinking,  though  Sir  Gervaise  manages  never  to  be 
in  a  slow  ship.  I  suppose  you  know,  Stowel,  that  Monsieur 
de  Vervillin  is  out,  and  that  we  may  expect  to  see  or  hear 
something  of  him,  to-morrow." 

"  Yes,  sir,  there  is  some  such  conversation  in  the  ship,  I 
know;  but  the  quantity  of  galley-news  is  so  great  in  this 
squadron  that  I  never  attend  much  to  what  is  said.  One  of 
the  officers  brought  off  a  rumor,  I  believe,  that  there  was  a 
sort  of  a  row  in  Scotland.  By  the  way,  sir,  there  is  a  super- 
numerary lieutenant  on  board,  and  as  he  has  joined  entirely 
without  orders,  I'm  at  a  loss  how  to  berth  or  to  provision 
him.  We  can  treat  the  gentleman  hospitably  to-night;  but 
in  the  morning  I  shall  be  obliged  to  get  him  regularly  on 
paper." 

"You  mean  Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe;  he  shall  come 
into  my  mess,  rather  than  give  you  any  trouble." 

"I  shall  not  presume  to  meddle  with  any  gentleman  you 
may  please  to  invite  into  your  cabin,  sir,"  answered  Stowel, 
with  a  stiff  bow,  in  the  way  of  apology.  "  That's  what  I 
always  tell  Mrs.  Stowel,  sir; — that  my  cahifi  is  my  own^  and 
even  a  wife  has  no  right  to  shake  a  broom  in  it." 

"  Which  is  a  great  advantage  to  us  seamen ;  for  it  gives 
us  a  citadel  to  retreat  to,  when  the  outworks  are  pressed. 
You  appear  to  take  but  little  interest  in  this  civil  war, 
Stowel!" 

"Then  it's  true,  is  it,  sir?  I  didn't  know  but  it  might 
turn  out  to  be  galley-news.  Pray  what  is  the  rumpus  all 
about.  Admiral  Bluewater?  for  I  never  could  get  that  story 
fidded  properly,  so  as  to  set  up  the  rigging,  and  have  the 
spar  well  stayed  in  its  place." 

"  It  is  merely  a  war  to  decide  who  shall  be  king  of  Eng- 
land; nothing  else,  I  do  assure  you,  sir." 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  319 

"They're  an  uneasy  set  ashore,  sir,  if  the  truth  must  be 
said  of  them!  We've  got  one  king,  already;  and  on  what 
principle  does  any  man  wish  for  more?  Now,  there  was 
Captain  Blakely,  from  the  Elizabeth,  on  board  of  me  this 
afternoon ;  and  we  talked  the  matter  over  a  little,  and  both 
of  us  concluded  that  they  got  these  things  up  much  as  a 
matter  of  profit  among  the  army  contractors  and  the  dealers 
in  warlike  stores." 

Bluewater  listened  with  intense  interest,  for  here  was  proof 
how  completely  two  of  his  captains,  at  least,  would  be  at  his 
own  command,  and  how  little  they  would  be  likely,  for  a 
time,  at  least,  to  dispute  any  of  his  orders.  He  thought  of 
Sir  Reginald,  and  of  the  rapture  with  which  he  would  have 
received  this  trait  of  nautical  character. 

"  There  are  people  who  set  their  hearts  on  the  result,  not- 
withstanding," carelessly  observed  the  rear-admiral ;  "  and 
some  who  see  their  fortunes  marred  or  promoted,  by  the  suc- 
cess or  downfall  of  the  parties.  They  think  de  Vervillin  is 
out  on  some  errand  connected  with  this  rising  in  the  north." 

"  Well,  I  don't  see  what  he  has  got  to  do  with  the  matter 
at  all ;  for  I  don't  suppose  that  King  Louis  is  such  a  fool  as 
to  expect  to  be  king  of  England  as  well  as  king  of  France!" 

"  The  dignity  would  be  too  much  for  one  pair  of  shoul- 
ders to  bear.  As  well  might  one  admiral  wish  to  command 
all  the  divisions  of  his  own  fleet,  though  they  were  fifty 
leagues  asunder." 

"  Or  one  captain  two  ships ;  or  what  is  more  to  the  pur- 
pose, sir,  one  ship  to  keep  two  captains.  We'll  drink  to 
discipline,  if  you've  no  objection,  sir.  'Tis  the  soul  of 
order  and  quiet,  ashore  or  afloat.  For  my  part,  I  want  no 
co-equal — I  believe  that's  the  cant  word  they  use  on  such 
occasions — but  I  want  no  co-equal,  in  the  Caesar,  and  I  am 
unwilling  to  have  one  in  the  house  at  Greenwich;  though 
Mrs.  Stowel  thinks  differently.  Here's  my  ship;  she's  in 
her  place  in  the  line;  it's  my  business  to  see  she  is  fit  for 
any  service  that  a  first-class  two-decker  can  undertake,  and 


320  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

that  duty  I  endeavor  to  perform ;  and  I  make  no  doubt  it  is 
all  the  better  performed  because  there's  no  wife  or  co-equal 
aboard  here.  Where  the  ship  is  to  go^  or  what  she  is  to  do^ 
are  other  matters,  which  I  take  from  general  orders,  special 
orders,  or  signals.  Let  them  act  up  to  this  principle  in 
London,  and  we  should  hear  no  more  of  disturbances,  north 
or  south." 

"  Certainly,  Stowel,  your  doctrine  would  make  a  quiet  na- 
tion, as  well  as  a  quiet  ship.  I  hope  you  do  me  the  justice 
to  think  there  is  no  co-equal  in  my  commands!" 

"  That  there  is  not,  sir — and  I  have  the  honor  to  drink 
your  health — that  there  is  not.  When  we  were  in  the  Ca- 
lypso together,  I  had  the  advantage ;  and  I  must  say  that  I 
never  had  a  youngster  under  me  who  ever  did  his  duty  more 
cheerfully.  Since  that  day  we've  shifted  places;  end  for 
end,  as  one  might  say ;  and  I  endeavor  to  pay  you  in  your 
own  coin.  There  is  no  man  whose  orders  I  obey  more  will- 
ingly or  more  to  my  own  advantage;  always  excepting  those 
of  Admiral  Oakes,  who,  being  commander-in-chief,  overlays 
us  all  with  his  anchor.  We  must  dowse  our  peaks  to  his 
signals,  though  we  can  maintain,  without  mutinying,  that 
the  Caesar  is  as  good  a  boat  on  or  off  a  wind  as  the  Plantag- 
enet,  the  best  day  Sir  Jarvy  ever  saw." 

"  There  is  no  manner  of  doubt  of  that.  You  have  all  the 
notions  of  a  true  sailor,  I  find,  Stowel ;  obey  orders  before 
all  other  things.  I  am  curious  to  know  how  our  captains, 
generally,  stand  affected  to  this  claim  which  the  Pretender 
has  set  up  to  the  throne." 

"Can't  tell  you,  on  my  soul,  sir;  though  I  fancy  few  of 
them  give  themselves  any  great  anxiety  in  the  matter. 
When  the  wind  is  fair  we  can  run  off  large,  and  when  it  is 
foul  we  must  haul  upon  a  bowline,  let  who  will  reign.  I 
was  a  youngster  under  Queen  Anne,  and  she  was  a  Stuart,  I 
believe;  and  I  have  served  under  the  German  family  ever 
since;  and  to  be  frank  with  you.  Admiral  Bluewater,  I  see 
but  little  difference  in  the  duty,  the  pay,  or  the  rations.     My 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  321 

maxim  is  to  obey  orders,  and  then  I  know  the  blame  will 
fall  on  them  that  give  them,  if  anything  goes  wrong." 

"  We  have  many  Scotchmen  in  the  fleet,  Stowel,"  observed 
the  rear-admiral,  in  a  musing  manner,  like  one  who  rather 
thought  aloud  than  spoke.  "  Several  of  the  captains  are 
from  the  north  of  Tweed." 

"  Ay,  sir,  one  is  pretty  certain  of  meeting  gentlemen  from 
that  part  of  the  island,  in  almost  all  situations  in  life.  I 
never  have  understood  that  Scotland  had  much  of  a  navy  in 
ancient  times,  and  yet  the  moment  old  England  has  to  pay 
for  it,  the  lairds  are  willing  enough  to  send  their  children 
to  sea." 

"  Nevertheless  it  must  be  owned  that  they  make  gallant 
and  useful  officers,  Stowel." 

"No  doubt  they  do,  sir;  but  gallant  and  useful  men  are 
not  scarce  anywhere.  Vou  and  I  are  too  old  and  too  expe- 
rienced, Admiral  Bluewater,  to  put  any  faith  in  the  notion 
that  courage  belongs  to  any  particular  part  of  the  world,  or 
usefulness  either.  I  never  fought  a  Frenchman  yet  that  I 
thought  a  coward;  and,  in  my  judgment,  there  are  brave 
men  enough  in  England,  to  command  all  her  ships,  and  to 
fight  them  too." 

"  Let  this  be  so,  Stowel,  still  we  must  take  things  as  they 
come.     What  do  you  think  of  the  night.?" 

"  Dirty  enough  before  morning,  I  should  think,  sir,  though 
it  is  a  little  out  of  rule  that  it  does  not  rain  with  this  wind, 
already.  The  next  time  we  come-to,  Admiral  Bluewater,  I 
intend  to  anchor  with  a  shorter  scope  of  cable  than  we  have 
been  doing  lately;  for  I  begin  to  think  there  is  no  use  in 
wetting  so  many  yarns  in  the  summer  months.  They  tell 
me  the  York  brings  up  always  on  forty  fathoms." 

"  That's  a  short  range,  I  should  think,  for  a  heavy  ship. 
But  here  is  a  visitor." 

The  sentinel  opened  the  cabin  door,  and  Lord  Geoffrey, 
with  his  cap  fastened  to  his  head  by  a  pocket-handkerchief, 
and  his  face  red  with  exposure  to  the  wind,  entered  the  cabin. 

21 


322  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"  Well,"  said  Bluewater  quietly ;  "  what  is  the  report  from 
aloft?" 

"The  Dover  is  running  down  athwart  our  forefoot,  and 
nearing  us  fast,  sir,"  returned  the  midshipman.  "  The  York 
is  close  on  our  weather-beam,  edging  in  to  her  station ;  but 
I  can  make  out  nothing  ahead  of  us,  though  I  was  on  the 
yard  twenty  minutes." 

"  Did  you  look  well  on  the  weather-beam,  and  thence  for- 
ward to  the  lee-bow?" 

"  I  did,  sir;  if  any  light  is  in  view,  better  eyes  than  mine 
must  find  it." 

Stowel  looked  from  one  to  the  other,  as  this  short  conver- 
sation was  held ;  but,  as  soon  as  there  was  a  pause,  he  put 
in  a  word  in  behalf  of  the  ship. 

"You've  been  up  forward,  my  lord?"  he  said. 

"  Yes,  I  have,  Captain  Stowel." 

"  And  did  you  think  of  seeing  how  the  heel  of  the  topgal- 
lantmast  stood  it,  in  this  sea?  Bluff  tells  me  'tis  too  loose 
to  be  fit  for  very  heavy  weather." 

"  I  did  not,  sir.  I  was  sent  aloft  to  look  out  for  the  ships 
of  the  commander-in-chief's  division,  and  didn't  think  of 
the  heel  of  the  topgallantmast's  being  too  loose,  at  all." 

"Ay,  that's  the  way  with  all  the  youngsters,  nowadays. 
In  my  time,  or  even  \n  you/s,  Admiral  Bluewater,  we  never 
put  our  feet  on  a  ratlin,  but  hands  and  eyes  were  at  work, 
until  we  reached  the  halting-place,  even  though  it  should  be 
the  truck.  That  is  the  manner  to  know  what  a  ship  is 
made  of!" 

"  I  kept  my  hands  and  eyes  at  work,  too,  Captain  Stowel ; 
but  it  was  to  hold  on  well,  and  to  look  out  well." 

"That  will  never  do — that  will  never  do,  if  you  wish  to 
make  yourself  a  sailor.  Begin  with  your  own  ship  first; 
learn  all  about  /ier,  then,  when  you  get  to  be  an  admiral,  as 
your  father's  son,  my  lord,  will  be  certain  to  become,  it  will 
be  time  enough  to  be  inquiring  about  the  rest  of  the  fleet." 

"  You  forget,  Captain  Stowel " 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  323 

"That  will  do,  Lord  Geoffrey,"  Bluewater  soothingly 
interposed,  for  he  knew  that  the  Captain  preached  no  more 
than  he  literally  practised;  ''if  /  am  satisfied  with  your 
report,  no  one  else  has  a  right  to  complain.  Desire  Sir 
Wycherly  Wychecombe  to  meet  me  on  deck,  where  we  will 
now  go,  Stowel,  and  take  a  look  at  the  weather  for  our- 
selves." 

"With  all  my  heart.  Admiral  Bluewater,  though  I'll  just 
drink  the  First  Lord's  health  before  we  quit  this  excellent 
liquor.  That  youngster  has  stuff  in  him,  in  spite  of  his 
nobility,  and  by  fetching  him  up  with  round  turns,  occa- 
sionally, I  hope  to  make  a  man  of  him,  yet." 

"  If  he  do  not  grow  into  that  character,  physically  and 
morally,  within  the  next  few  years,  sir,  he  will  be  the  first 
person  of  his  family  who  has  ever  failed  of  it." 

As  Bluewater  said  this,  he  and  the  captain  left  his  cabin, 
and  ascended  to  the  quarter-deck.  Here  Stowel  stopped  to 
hold  a  consultation  with  his  first  lieutenant,  while  the  admi- 
ral went  up  the  poop-ladder,  and  joined  Cornet.  The  last 
had  nothing  new  to  communicate,  and  as  he  was  permitted 
to  go  below,  he  was  desired  to  send  Wycherly  up  to  the 
poop,  where  the  young  man  would  be  expected  by  the  rear- 
admiral. 

Some  little  time  elapsed  before  the  Virginian  could  be 
found;  no  sooner  was  this  effected,  however,  than  he  joined 
Bluewater.  They  had  a  private  conversation  of  fully  half 
an  hour,  pacing  the  poop  the  whole  time,  and  then  Cornet 
was  summoned  back,  again,  to  his  usual  station.  The  latter 
immediately  received  an  order  to  acquaint  Captain  Stowel 
the  rear-admiral  desired  that  the  Ccesar  might  be  hove-to, 
and  to  make  a  signal  for  the  Druid  36  to  come  under  the 
flagship's  lee,  and  back  her  main-topsail.  No  sooner  did 
this  order  reach  the  quarter-deck  than  the  watch  was  sent 
to  the  braces,  and  the  main-yard  was  rounded  in,  until  the 
portion  of  sail  that  was  still  set  lay  against  the  mast.  This 
deadened  the  way  of  the  huge  body,  which  rose  and  fell 


324  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

heavily  in  the  seas,  as  they  washed  under  her,  scarcely  large 
enough  to  lift  the  burden  it  imposed  upon  them.  Just  at 
this  instant,  the  signal  was  made. 

The  sudden  check  to  the  movement  of  the  Caesar  brought 
the  Dublin  booming  up  in  the  darkness,  when,  putting  her 
helm  up,  that  ship  surged  slowly  past  to  leeward,  resem- 
bling a  black  mountain  moving  by  in  the  gloom.  She  was 
hailed  and  directed  to  heave-to,  also,  as  soon  as  far  enough 
ahead.  The  Elizabeth  followed,  clearing  the  flagship  by 
merely  twenty  fathoms,  and  receiving  a  similar  order.  The 
Druid  had  been  on  the  admiral's  weather-quarter,  but  she 
now  came  gliding  down,  with  the  wind  abeam,  taking  room 
to  back  her  topsail  under  the  Caesar's  lee-bow.  By  this 
time  a  cutter  was  in  the  water,  rising  six  or  eight  feet  up 
the  black  side  of  the  ship,  and  sinking  5ls  low  apparently 
beneath  her  bottom.  Next,  Wycherly  reported  himself  ready 
to  proceed. 

"  You  will  not  forget,  sir,"  said  Bluewater,  "  any  part  of 
my  commission;  but  inform  the  commander-in-chief  of  the 
whole.  It  may  be  important  that  we  understand  each  other 
fully.  You  will  also  hand  him  this  letter  which  I  have 
hastily  written  while  the  boat  was  getting  ready." 

"I  think  I  understand  your  wishes,  sir; — at  least,  I  hope 
so; — and  I  will  endeavor  to  execute  them." 

*'  God  bless  you.  Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe,"  added  Blue- 
water,  with  emotion.  "We  may  never  meet  again;  we  sail- 
ors carry  uncertain  lives;  and  we  may  be  said  to  carry  them 
in  our  hands." 

Wycherly  took  his  leave  of  the  admiral,  and  he  ran  down 
the  poop-ladder  to  descend  into  the  boat.  Twice  he  paused 
on  the  quarter-deck,  however,  in  the  manner  of  one  who  felt 
disposed  to  return  and  ask  some  explanation ;  but  each  time 
he  moved  on,  decided  to  proceed. 

It  needed  all  the  agility  of  our  young  sailor  to  get  safely 
into  the  boat.  This  done,  the  oars  fell  and  the  cutter  was 
driven   swiftly  away  to  leeward.     In  a  few  minutes,  it  shot 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  325 

beneath  the  lee  of  the  frigate,  and  discharged  its  freight. 
Wycherly  could  not  have  been  three  minutes  on  the  deck  of 
the  Druid,  ere  her  yards  were  braced  up,  and  her  topsail 
filled  with  a  heavy  flap.  This  caused  her  to  draw  slowly 
ahead.  Five  minutes  later,  however,  a  white  cloud  was  seen 
dimly  fluttering  over  her  hull,  and  the  reefed  mainsail  was 
distended  to  the  wind.  The  effect  was  so  instantaneous  that 
the  frigate  seemed  to  glide  away  from  the  flagship,  and  in  a 
quarter  of  an  hour,  under  her  three  topsails  double-reefed, 
and  her  courses,  she  was  a  mile  distant  on  her  weather-bow. 
Those  who  watched  her  movements,  without  understanding 
them,  observed  that  she  lowered  her  light,  and  appeared  to 
detach  herself  from  the  rest  of  the  division. 

It  was  some  time  before  the  Ccesar's  boat  was  enabled  to 
pull  up  against  the  tide,  wind,  and  sea.  When  this  hard 
task  was  successfully  accomplished,  the  ship  filled,  passed 
the  Dublin  and  Elizabeth,  and  resumed  her  place  in  the 
line. 

Bluewater  paced  the  poop  an  hour  longer,  having  dismissed 
his  signal-officer  and  the  quartermasters  to  their  hammocks. 
Even  Stowel  had  turned  in,  nor  did  Mr.  Bluff  deem  it  neces- 
sary to  remain  on  deck  any  longer.  At  the  end  of  the  hour, 
the  rear-admiral  bethought  him  of  retiring  too.  Before  he 
quitted  the  poop,  however,  he  stood  at  the  weather-ladder, 
holding  on  to  the  mizzen-rigging,  and  gazing  at  the  scene. 

The  wind  had  increased,  as  had  the  sea,  but  it  was  not  yet 
a  gale.  The  York  had  long  before  hauled  up  in  her  station, 
a  cable's  length  ahead  of  the  Caesar,  and  was  standing  on, 
under  the  same  canvas  as  the  flagship,  looking  stately  and 
black.  The  Dover  was  just  shooting  into  her  berth,  under 
the  standing  sailing-orders,  at  the  same  distance  ahead  of 
the  York;  visible,  but  much  less  distinct  and  imposing. 
The  sloop  and  the  cutter  were  running  along,  under  the  lee 
of  the  heavy  ships,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant,  each  vessel 
keeping  her  relative  position,  by  close  attention  to  her  can- 
vas.    Further  than  this,  nothing  was  in  sight.     The  sea  had 


326  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

that  wild  mixture  of  brightness  and  gloom  which  belongs  to 
the  element  when  much  agitated  in  a  dark  night,  while  the 
heavens  were  murky  and  threatening. 

Within  the  ship,  all  was  still.  Here  and  there  a  lantern 
threw  its  wavering  light  around,  but  the  shadows  of  the 
masts  and  guns,  and  other  objects,  rendered  this  relief  to 
the  night  trifling.  The  lieutenant  of  the  watch  paced  the 
weather  side  of  the  quarter-deck,  silent  but  attentive.  Occa- 
sionally he  hailed  the  lookouts,  and  admonished  them  to  be 
vigilant,  also,  and  at  each  turn  he  glanced  upward  to  see 
how  the  topsail  stood.  Four  or  five  old  and  thoughtful 
seamen  walked  the  waist  and  forecastle,  but  most  of  the 
watch  were  stowed  between  the  guns,  or  in  the  best  places 
they  could  find,  under  the  lee  of  the  bulwarks,  catching  cat's 
naps.  This  was  an  indulgence  denied  the  young  gentlemen, 
of  whom  one  was  on  the  forecastle,  leaning  against  the  mast, 
dreaming  of  home,  one  in  the  waist,  supporting  the  nettings, 
and  one  walking  the  lee-side  of  the  quarter-deck,  his  eyes 
shut,  his  thoughts  confused,  and  his  footing  uncertain.  As 
Bluewater  stepped  on  the  quarter-deck  ladder,  to  descend  to 
his  own  cabin,  the  youngster  hit  his  foot  against  an  eye-bolt, 
and  fetched  way  plump  up  against  his  superior.  Bluewater 
caught  the  lad  in  his  arms,  and  saved  him  from  a  fall,  set- 
ting him  fairly  on  his  feet  before  he  let  him  go. 

"  'Tis  seven  bells,  Geoffrey,"  said  the  admiral,  in  an  un- 
dertone. "  Hold  on  for  half  an  hour  longer,  and  then  go 
dream  of  your  dear  mother." 

Before  the  boy  could  recover  himself  to  thank  his  supe- 
rior, the  latter  had  disappeared. 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  32/ 


CHAPTER   XX. 

"  Yet  notwithstanding,  being  incensed,  he's  flint ; 
As  humorous  as  winter,  and  as  sudden 
As  flaws  congealed  in  the  spring  of  day. 
His  temper,  therefore,  must  be  well  observed." 

Shakspeare. 

The  reader  will  remember  that  the  wind  had  not  become 
fresh  when  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  got  into  his  barge,  with  the 
intention  of  carrying  his  fleet  to  sea.  A  retrospective  glance 
at  the  state  of  the  weather  will  become  necessary  to  the 
reader,  therefore,  in  carrying  his  mind  back  to  that  precise 
period  whither  it  has  now  become  our  duty  to  transport  him 
in  imagination. 

The  vice-admiral  governed  a  fleet  on  principles  very  dif- 
ferent from  those  of  Bluewater.  While  the  last  left  so  much 
to  the  commanders  of  the  different  vessels,  his  friend  looked 
into  everything  himself.  The  details  of  the  service  he  knew 
were  indispensable  to  success  on  a  larger  scale,  and  his 
active  mind  descended  into  all  these  minutiae,  to  a  degree, 
sometimes,  that  annoyed  his  captains.  On  the  whole,  how- 
ever, he  was  sufficiently  observant  of  that  formidable  barrier 
to  excessive  familiarity,  and  that  great  promoter  of  heart- 
burnings in  a  squadron,  naval  etiquette,  to  prevent  anything 
like  serious  misunderstandings,  and  the  best  feelings  pre- 
vailed between  him  and  the  several  magnates  under  his 
orders.  Perhaps  the  circumstance  that  he  was  2,  fighting  ad- 
miral contributed  to  this  internal  tranquillity;  for,  it  has 
been  often  remarked,  that  armies  and  fleets  will  both  tolerate 
more  in  leaders  that  give  them  plenty  to  do  with  the  enemy 
than  in  commanders  who  leave  them  inactive  and  less  ex- 
posed. The  constant  encounters  with  the  foe  would  seem 
to  let  out  all  the  superfluous  quarrelsome  tendencies.  Nel- 
son, to  a  certain  extent,  was  an  example  of  this  influence  in 
the  English  marine,  Suffren^  in  that  of  France,  and  Preble, 

1  Suffren,  though  one  of  the  best  sea-captains  France  ever  possessed,  was  a  man  of 
extreme  severity  and  great  roughness  of  manner.     Still  he  must  have  been  a  man  of 


328  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

to  a  much  greater  degree  than  in  either  of  the  other  cases,  in 
our  own.  At  all  events,  while  most  of  his  captains  sensibly 
felt  themselves  less  of  commanders,  while  Sir  Gervaise  was 
on  board  or  around  their  ships,  than  when  he  was  in  the 
cabin  of  the  Plantagenet,  the  peace  was  rarely  broken  be- 
tween them,  and  he  was  generally  beloved  as  well  as  obeyed. 
Bluewater  was  a  more  invariable  favorite,  perhaps,  though 
scarcely  as  much  respected ;  and  certainly  not  half  as  much 
feared. 

On  the  present  occasion,  the  vice-admiral  did  not  pull 
through  the  fleet,  without  discovering  the  peculiar  propen- 
sity to  which  we  have  alluded.  In  passing  one  of  the  ships, 
he  made  a  sign  to  his  coxswain  to  cause  the  boat's  crew  to 
lay  on  their  oars,  when  he  hailed  the  vessel,  and  the  follow- 
ing dialogue  occurred. 

"  Carnatic,  ahoy!"  cried  the  admiral. 

"  Sir,"  exclaimed  the  officer  of  the  deck,  jumping  on  a 
quarter-deck  gun,  and  raising  his  hat. 

"Is  Captain  Parker  on  board,  sir?" 

"He  is,  Sir  Gervaise;  will  you  see  him,  sir?" 

A  nod  of  the  head  sufficed  to  bring  the  said  Captain  Par- 
ker on  deck,  and  to  the  gangway,  where  he  could  converse 
with  his  superior,  without  inconvenience  to  either. 

"How  do  you  do.  Captain  Parker?" — a  certain  sign  Sir 
Gervaise  meant  to  rap  the  other  over  the  knuckles,  else 
would  it  have  been  Parker.  "  How  do  you  do.  Captain  Par- 
ker? I  am  sorry  to  see  you  have  got  your  ship  too  much 
down  by  the  head,  sir.  She'll  steer  off  the  wind,  like  a  colt 
when  he  first  feels  the  bridle;  now  with  his  head  on  one 
side,  and  now  on  the  other.  You  know  I  like  a  compact 
line,  and  straight  wakes,  sir." 

family,  as  his  title  of  Bailli  de  Suffren  was  derived  from  his  being  a  Knight  of  Malta. 
It  is  a  singular  circumstance  connected  with  the  death  of  this  distinguished  officer, 
which  occured  not  long  before  the  French  Revolution,  that  he  disappeared  in  an  ex- 
traordinary manner,  and  is  buried  no  one  knows  where.  It  is  supposed  that  he  was 
killed  by  one  of  his  own  officers,  in  a  rencontre  in  the  streets  of  Paris,  at  night,  and 
that  the  influence  of  the  friends  of  the  victor  was  sufficiently  great  to  suppress 
inquiry.    The  cause  of  the  quarrel  is  attributed  to  harsh  treatment  on  service. 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  329 

"  I  am  well  aware  of  that,  Sir  Gervaise,"  returned  Parker, 
a  gray-headed,  meek  old  man,  who  had  fought  his  way  up 
from  the  forecastle  to  his  present  honorable  station,  and, 
who,  though  brave  as  a  lion  before  the  enemy,  had  a  partic- 
ular dread  of  all  his  commanders;  "but  we  have  been 
obliged  to  use  more  water  aft  than  we  could  wish,  on  ac- 
count of  the  tiers.  We  shall  coil  away  the  cables  anew, 
and  come  at  some  of  the  leaguers  forward,  and  bring  all 
right  again,  in  a  week,  I  hope,  sir." 

"A  week? — the  d — 1,  sir;  that  will  never  do,  when  I  ex- 
pect to  see  de  Vervillin  to-mofrow.  Fill  all  your  empty 
casks  aft  with  salt  water  immediately;  and  if  that  wont  do 
shift  some  of  your  shot  forward.  I  know  that  craft  of  yours, 
well ;  she  is  as  tender  as  a  fellow  with  corns,  and  the  shoe 
mustn't  pinch  anywhere." 

"Very  well.  Sir  Gervaise;  the  ship  shall  be  brought  in 
trim,  as  soon  as  possible." 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir,  that  is  what  I  expect  from  every  vessel,  at 
all  times;  and  more  especially  when  we  are  ready  to  meet 
an  enemy.  And,  I  say,  Parker'^ — making  a  sign  to  his 
boat's  crew  to  stop  rowing  again — "  I  say,  Parker^  I  know 
you  love  brawn; — I'll  send  you  some  that  Galleygo  tells  me 
he  has  picked  up,  along  shore  here,  as  soon  as  I  get  aboard. 
The  fellow  has  been  robbing  all  the  hen-roosts  in  Devon- 
shire, by  his  own  account  of  the  matter." 

Sir  Gervaise  waved  his  hand,  Pa?'ker  smiled  and  bowed 
his  thanks,  and  the  two  parted  with  feelings  of  perfect  kind- 
ness, notwithstanding  the  little  skirmish  with  which  the 
interview  had  commenced. 

"  Mr.  Williamson,"  said  Captain  Parker  to  his  first  lieu- 
tenant, on  quitting  the  gangway,  "you  hear  what  the  com- 
mander-in-chief says ;  and  he  must  be  obeyed.  I  ^/^;/'/ think 
the  Carnatic  would  have  sheered  out  of  the  line,  even  if  she 
is  a  little  by  the  head;  but  have  the  empty  casks  filled,  and 
bring  her  down  six  inches  more  by  the  stern," 

"That's  a  good  fellow,  that  old  Parker,"  said  Sir  Ger- 


330  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

vaise  to  his  purser,  whom  he  was  carrying  off  good-natured- 
ly to  the  ship,  lest  he  might  lose  his  passage ;  "  and  I  won- 
der how  he  let  his  ship  get  her  nose  under  water,  in  that 
fashion.  I  like  to  have  him  for  a  second  astern ;  for  I  feel 
sure  he'd  follo\7  if  I  stood  into  Cherbourg,  bows  on!  Yes; 
a  good  fellow  is  Parker ;  and.  Locker," — to  his  own  man,  who 
was  also  in  the  boat, — "  mind  you  send  him  two  of  the  best 
pieces  of  that  brawn — hey! — hey! — hey! — what  the  d — 1 
has  Lord  Morganic" — a  descendant  from  royalty  by  the 
left  hand — been  doing  now!  That  ship  is  kept  like  a  tail- 
or's lay  figure,  just  to  stuff  jackets  and  gimcracks  on  her — 
Achilles,  there!" 

A  quartermaster  ran  to  the  edge  of  the  poop,  and  then 
turning,  he  spoke  to  his  captain,  who  was  walking  the  deck, 
and  informed  him  that  the  commander-in  chief  hailed  the 
ship.  The  Earl  of  Morganic,  a  young  man  of  four-and- 
twenty,  who  had  succeeded  to  the  title  a  few  years  before 
by  the  death  of  an  elder  brother, — the  usual  process  by 
which  an  old  peer  is  brought  into  the  British  navy,  the  work 
being  too  discouraging  for  those  who  have  fortune  before 
their  eyes  from  the  start, — now  advanced  to  the  quarter  of 
the  ship,  bowed  with  respectful  ease,  and  spoke  with  a  self- 
possession  that  not  one  of  the  old  commanders  of  the  fleet 
would  have  dared  to  use.  In  general,  this  nobleman's  in- 
tercourse with  his  superiors  in  naval  rank  betrayed  the  con- 
sciousness of  his  own  superiority  in  civil  rank;  but  Sir  Ger- 
vaise  being  of  an  old  family,  and  quite  as  rich  as  he  himself, 
the  vice-admiral  commanded  more  of  his  homage  than  was 
customary.  His  ship  was  full  of  "nobs,"  as  they  termed  it 
in  the  British  navy,  or  the  sons  and  relatives  of  nobles;  and 
it  was  by  no  means  an  uncommon  thing  for  her  messes  to 
have  their  jokes  at  the  expense  of  even  flag-officers,  who 
were  believed  to  be  a  little  ignorant  of  the  peculiar  sensi- 
bilities that  are  rightly  enough  imagined  to  characterize 
social  station. 

**  Good-morning,  Sir  Gervaise,"  called  out  this  noble  cap- 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  33 1 

tain ;  "  I'm  glad  to  see  you  looking  so  well,  after  our  long 
cruise  in  the  Bay;  I  intended  to  have  the  honor  to  inquire 
after  your  health  in  person,  this  morning,  but  they  told  me 
you  slept  out  of  your  ship.  We  shall  have  to  hold  a  court 
on  you,  sir,  if  you  fall  much  into  that  habit!" 

All  within  hearing  smiled,  even  to  the  rough  old  tars, 
who  were  astraddle  of  the  yards;  and  even  Sir  Gervaise's 
lip  curled  a  little,  though  he  was  not  exactly  in  a  joking 
humor. 

"  Come,  come,  Morganic,  do  you  let  my  habits  alone,  and 
look  out  for  your  own  fore-topmast.  Why,  in  the  name  of 
seamanship,  is  that  spar  stayed  forward  in  such  a  fashion, 
looking  like  a  xebec's  foremast?" 

"Do  you  dislike  it,  Sir  Gervaise? — Now  to  our  fancies 
aboard  her,  it  gives  the  Achilles  a  knowing  look,  and  we 
hope  to  set  a  fashion.  By  carrying  the  head-sails  w^ell  for- 
ward we  help  the  ship  round  in  a  sea,  you  know,  sir." 

"  Indeed,  I  know  no  such  thing,  my  lord.  What  you  gain 
after  being  taken  aback,  you  lose  in  coming  to  the  wind. 
If  I  had  a  pair  of  scales  suitable  to  such  a  purpose,  I  would 
have  all  that  hamper  you  have  stayed  away  yonder  over 
your  bows,  on  the  end  of  such  a  long  lever,  weighed,  in  order 
that  you  might  learn  what  a  beautiful  contrivance  you've 
invented,  among  you,  to  make  a  ship  pitch  in  a  head  sea. 
Why,  d — e  if  I  think  you'd  lie-to,  at  all,  with  so  much  stuff 
aloft  to  knock  you  off  to  leeward.  Come  up  everything 
forward;  come  up  everything,  my  lord,  and  bring  the  mast 
as  near  perpendicular  as  possible.  It's  a  hard  matter,  I 
find,  to  make  one  of  your  new-fashioned  captains  keep 
things  in  their  places." 

"Well,  now,  Sir  Gervaise,  I  think  the  Achilles  makes  as 
good  an  appearance  as  most  of  the  other  ships ;  and  as  to 
travelling  or  working,  I  do  not  know  that  she  is  either  dull 
or  clumsy!" 

"  She  is  pretty  well,  Morganic,  considering  how  many 
Bond-street  ideas  you  have  got  among  you;  but  she'll  never 


332  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

do  in  a  head  sea,  with  that  fore-topmast  threatening  your 
knightheads.  So  get  the  mast  up-and-down,  again,  as  soon 
as  convenient,  and  come  and  dine  wdth  me,  without  further 
invitation,  the  first  fine  day  we  have  at  sea.  I'm  going  to 
send  Parker  some  brawn;  but  I'll  ieed you  on  some  of  Gal- 
leygo's  turtle-soup,  made  out  of  pig's  heads." 

"Thank'ee,  Sir  Gervaise;  we'll  endeavor  to  straighten 
the  stick,  since  you  wi//  have  it  so;  though  I  confess  I 
get  tired  of  seeing  everything  to-day  just  as  we  had  it  yes- 
terday." 

"  Yes — yes — that's  the  way  with  most  of  these  St.  James 
cruisers,"  continued  the  vice-admiral,  as  he  rowed  away. 
"  They  want  a  fashionable  tailor  to  rig  a  man-of-war,  as 
they  are  rigged  themselves.  There's  my  old  friend  and 
neighbor,  Lord  Scupperton — he's  taken  a  fancy  to  yacht- 
ing, lately,  and  when  his  new  brig  was  put  into  the  water. 
Lady  Scupperton  made  him  send  for  an  upholsterer  from  town 
to  fit  out  the  cabin ;  and  when  the  blackguard  had  surveyed 
the  unfortunate  craft,  as  if  it  were  a  country  box,  what  does 
he  do  but  give  an  opinion  that  *  this  here  edifice,  my  lord,  in 
my  judgment,  should  be  furnished  in  cottage  style' — the 
vagabond!" 

This  story,  which  was  not  particularly  original,  for  Sir 
Gervaise  himself  had  told  it  at  least  a  dozen  times  before, 
put  the  admiral  in  a  good  humor,  and  he  found  no  more 
fault  with  his  captains,  until  he  reached  the  Plantagenet. 

"  Daly,"  said  the  Earl  of  Morganic  to  his  first  lieutenant, 
an  experienced  old  Irishman  of  fifty,  who  still  sung  a  good 
song  and  told  a  good  story,  and,  what  was  a  little  extraordi- 
nary for  either  of  these  accomplishments,  knew  how  to  take 
good  care  of  a  ship — "  Daly,  I  suppose  we  must  humor 
the  old  gentleman,  or  he'll  be  quarantining  me,  and  that 
I  shouldn't  particularly  like  on  the  eve  of  a  general  action; 
so  we'll  ease  off  forward,  and  set  up  the  strings  aft,  again. 
Hang  me  if  I  think  he  could  find  it  out  if  we  didn't,  so 
long  as  we  kept  dead  in  his  wakel" 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  333 

"That  wouldn't  be  a  very  safe  desait  for  Sir  Jarvy,  my 
lord,  for  he's  a  wonderful  eye  for  a  rope !  Were  it  Admiral 
Blue,  now  I'd  engage  to  cruise  in  his  company  for  a  week, 
with  my  mizzen-mast  stowed  in  the  hold,  and  there  should 
be  no  bother  about  the  novelty,  at  all;  quite  likely  he'd  be 
hailing  us,  and  ask,  *What  brig's  that?'  But  none  of  these 
tricks  will  answer  with  t'other,  who  misses  the  whipping  off 
the  end  of  a  gasket,  as  soon  as  any  first  luff  of  us  all.  And 
so  I'll  just  go  about  the  business  in  earnest;  get  the  car- 
penter up  with  his  plumb-bob,  and  set  everything  as  straight 
up-and-down  as  the  back  of  a  grenadier." 

Lord  Morganic  laughed,  as  was  usual  with  him  when  his 
lieutenant  saw  fit  to  be  humorous;  and  then  his  caprice  in 
changing  the  staying  of  his  masts,  as  well  as  the  order  which 
countermanded  it,  w^as  forgotten. 

The  arrival  of  Sir  Gervaise  on  board  his  own  ship  was 
always  an  event  in  the  fleet,  even  though  his  absence  had 
lasted  no  longer  than  twenty-four  hours.  The  effect  was 
like  that  which  is  produced  on  a  team  of  high-mettled  cat- 
tle, when  they  feel  that  the  reins  are  in  the  hands  of  an 
experienced  and  spirited  coachman. 

"  Good-morning,  Greenly,  good  morning  to  you  all,  gen- 
tlemen," said  the  vice-admiral,  bowing  to  the  quarter-deck 
in  gross,  in  return  for  the  "Present  arms!"  and  rattling  of 
drums,  and  lowering  of  hats  that  greeted  his  arrival ;  "  a 
fine  day,  and  it  is  likely  we  shall  have  a  fresh  breeze. 
Captain  Greenly,  your  spritsail-yard  wants  squaring  by 
the  lifts;  and.  Bunting,  make  the  Thunderer's  signal  to  get 
her  fore-yard  in  its  place  as  soon  as  possible.  She's  had  it 
down  long  enough  to  make  a  new  one,  instead  of  merely 
fishing  it.     Are  your  boats  all  aboard,  Greenly?" 

"  All  but  your  barge.  Sir  Gervaise,  and  that  is  hooked 
on." 

"In  with  it,  sir;  then  trip,  and  we'll  be  off.  Monsieur 
de  Vervillin  has  got  some  mischief  in  his  head,  gentlemen, 
and  we  must  go  and  take  it  out  of  him." 


334  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

These  orders  were  promptly  obeyed ;  but,  as  the  mannef 
in  which  the  Plantagenet  passed  out  of  the  fleet,  and  led  the 
other  ships  to  sea,  has  been  already  related,  it  is  unnecessary 
to  repeat  it.  There  was  the  usual  bustle,  the  customary  or- 
derly confusion,  the  winding  of  calls,  the  creaking  of  blocks, 
and  the  swinging  of  yards,  ere  the  vessels  were  in  motion. 
As  the  breeze  freshened,  sail  was  reduced,  as  already  re- 
lated, until,  by  the  time  the  leading  ship  was  ten  leagues 
at  sea,  all  were  under  short  canvas,  and  the  appearance  of 
a  windy,  if  not  a  dirty,  night  had  set  in.  Of  course,  all 
means  of  communication  between  the  Plantagenet  and  the 
vessels  still  at  anchor  had  ceased,  except  by  sending  sig- 
nals down  the  line;  but  to  those  Sir  Gervaise  had  no  re- 
course, since  he  was  satisfied  Bluewater  understood  his 
plans,  and  he  then  entertained  no  manner  of  doubt  of  his 
friend's  willingness  to  aid  them. 

Little  heed  was  taken  of  anything  astern,  by  those  on 
board  the  Plantagenet.  Every  one  saw,  it  is  true,  that 
ship  followed  ship  in  due  succession,  as  long  as  the  move- 
ments of  those  in-shore  could  be  perceived  at  all;  but  the 
great  interest  centred  on  the  horizon  to  the  southward  and 
eastward.  In  that  quarter  of  the  Channel  the  French  were 
expected  to  appear,  for  the  cause  of  this  sudden  departure 
was  a  secret  from  no  one  in  the  fleet.  A  dozen  of  the  best 
lookouts  in  the  ship  were  kept  aloft  the  whole  afternoon, 
and  Captain  Greenly  himself  sat  in  the  forward  cross- 
trees,  with  a  glass,  for  more  than  an  hour,  just  as  the  sun 
was  setting,  in  order  to  sweep  the  horizon.  Two  or  three 
sail  were  made,  it  is  true,  but  they  all  proved  to  be  English 
coasters ;  Guernsey  or  Jerseymen,  standing  for  ports  in  the 
west  of  England,  most  probably  laden  with  prohibited  arti- 
cles from  the  country  of  the  enemy.  Whatever  may  be  the 
dislike  of  an  Englishman  for  a  Frenchman,  he  has  no  dis- 
like to  the  labor  of  his  hands;  and  there  probably  has  not 
been  a  period  since  civilization  has  introduced  the  art  of 
smuggling  among  its  other  arts,  when  French  brandies,  and 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  335 

laces,  and  silks,  were  not  exchanged  against  English  to- 
bacco and  guineas,  and  that  in  a  contraband  way,  let  it  be 
in  peace  or  let  it  be  in  war.  One  of  the  characteristics  of 
Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  was  to  despise  all  petty  means  of  an- 
noyance; usually  he  disdained  even  to  turn  aside  to  chase 
a  smuggler.  Fishermen  he  never  molested  at  all;  and,  on 
the  whole,  he  carried  on  a  marine  warfare,  a  century  since, 
in  a  way  that  some  of  his  successors  might  have  imitated 
to  advantage  in  our  own  times.  Like  that  high-spirited 
Irishman,  Caldwell,'  who  conducted  a  blockade  in  the 
Chesapeake,  at  the  commencement  of  the  Revolution,  with 
so  much  liberality,  that  his  enemies  actually  sent  him  an 
invitation  to  a  public  dinner,  Sir  Gervaise  knew  how  to  dis- 
tinguish between  the  combatant  and  the  non-combatant,  and 
heartily  disdained  all  the  money-making  parts  of  his  pro- 
fession, though  large  sums  had  fallen  into  his  hands,  in 
this  way,  as  pure  godsends.  No  notice  was  taken,  there- 
fore, of  anything  that  had  not  a  warlike  look;  the  noble 
old  ship  standing  steadily  on  toward  the  French  coast,  as 
the  mastiff  passes  the  cur,  on  his  way  to  encounter  anoth- 
er animal  of  a  mould  and  courage  more  worthy  of  his 
powers. 

"  Make  nothing  of  'em,  hey!  Greenly?"  said  Sir  Gervaise, 
as  the  captain  came  down  from  his  perch,  in  consequence 
of  the  gathering  obscurity  of  evening,  followed  by  half-a- 
dozen  lieutenants  and  midshipmen,  who  had  been  aloft  as 
volunteers.  "  Well,  we  know  they  cannot  yet  be  to  the  west- 
ward of  us,  and  by  standing  on  shall  be  certain  of  heading 
them  off,  before  this  time  six  months.  How  beautifully  all 
the  ships  behave,  following  each  other  as  accurately  as  if 
Bluewater  himself  were  aboard  each  vessel  to  conn  her!" 

''  Yes,  sir,  they  do  keep  the  line  uncommonly  well,  con- 
sidering that  the  tides  run  in  streaks  in  the  Channel.  I 
do  think  if  we  were  to  drop  a  hammock  overboard  that  the 

•  The  writer  believes  this  noble-minded  sailor  to  have  been  the  late  Admiral  Sir 
Benjamin  Caldwell.  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  the  invitation  could  not  be 
accepted,  though  quite  seriously  given. 


33^  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS, 

Carnatic  would  pick  it  up,  although  she  must  be  quite  four 
leagues  astern  of  us." 

"Let  old  Parker  alone  for  that!  I'll  warrant  you,  he  is 
never  out  of  the  way.  Were  it  Lord  Morganic,  now,  in  the 
Achilles,  I  should  expect  him  to  be  away  off  here  on  our 
weather-quarter,  just  to  show  us  how  his  ship  can  eat  us 
out  of  the  wind  when  he  tries ;  or  way  down  yonder,  under 
our  lee,  that  we  might  understand  how  she  falls  off,  when 
he  don't  try." 

"  My  lord  is  a  gallant  officer,  and  no  bad  seaman,  for  his 
years,  notwithstanding,  Sir  Gervaise,"  observed  Greenly, 
who  generally  took  the  part  of  the  absent,  whenever  his 
superior  felt  disposed  to  berate  them. 

"  I  deny  neither.  Greenly,  most  particularly  the  first.  I 
know  very  well,  were  I  to  signal  Morganic  to  run  into 
Brest,  he'd  do  it;  but  whether  he  would  go  in  ringtail- 
boom  or  jib-boom  first,  I  couldn't  tell  till  I  saw  it.  Now 
you  are  a  youngish  man  yourself.  Greenly " 

"  Every  day  of  eight-and-thirty.  Sir  Gervaise,  and  a  few 
months  to  spare ;  and  I  care  not  if  the  ladies  know  it." 

"Poh! — They  like  us  old  fellows,  half  the  time,  as  well 
as  they  do  the  boys.  But  you  are  of  an  age  not  to  feel  time 
in  your  bones,  and  can  see  the  folly  of  some  of  our  old- 
fashioned  notions,  perhaps;  though  you  are  not  quite  as 
likely  to  understand  the  fooleries  that  have  come  in,  in 
your  own  day.  Nothing  is  more  absurd  than  to  be  experi- 
menting on  the  settled  principles  of  ships.  They  are  ma- 
chines. Greenly,  and  have  their  laws,  just  the  same  as  the 
planets  in  the  heavens.  The  idea  comes  from  a  fish, — head, 
run,  and  helm ;  and  all  we  have  to  do  is  to  study  the  fishes  in 
order  to  get  the  sort  of  craft  we  want.  If  there  is  occasion 
for  bulk,  take  the  whale,  and  you  get  a  round  bottom,  full 
fore-body,  and  a  clean  run.  When  you  want  speed,  models 
are  plenty — take  the  dolphin,  for  instance, — and  there  you 
find  an  entrance  like  a  wedge,  a  lean  fore-body,  and  run  as 
clean  as  this  ship's  decks.     But  some  of  our  young  captains 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  337 

would  spoil  a  dolphin's  sailing,  if  they  could  breathe  under 
water,  so  as  to  get  at  the  poor  devils.  Look  at  their  fan- 
cies !  The  First  Lord  shall  give  one  of  his  cousins  a  frigate, 
now,  that  is  moulded  after  nature  itself,  as  one  might  say; 
with  a  bottom  that  would  put  a  trout  to  shame.  Well,  one 
of  the  first  things  the  lad  does,  when  he  gets  on  board  her, 
is  to  lengthen  his  gaff,  perhaps,  put  a  cloth  or  two  in  his 
mizzen,  and  call  it  a  spanker,  settle  away  the  peak  till  it 
sticks  out  over  his  taffrail  like  a  sign -post,  and  then  away 
he  goes  upon  a  wind,  with  his  helm  hard-up,  bragging  what 
a  weatherly  craft  he  has,  and  how  hard  it  is  to  make  her 
even  look  to  leeward." 

"  I  have  known  such  sailors,  I  must  confess.  Sir  Ger- 
vaise ;  but  time  cures  them  of  that  folly." 

"That  is  to  be  hoped;  for  what  would  a  man  think  of  a 
fish  to  which  nature  had  fitted  a  tail  athwartships,  and  which 
was  obliged  to  carry  a  fin,  like  a  lee-board,  under  its  lee- 
jaw,  to  prevent  falling  off  dead  before  the  wind!" 

Here  Sir  Gervaise  laughed  heartily  at  the  picture  of  the 
awkward  creature  to  which  his  own  imagination  had  given 
birth ;  Greenly  joined  in  the  merriment,  partly  from  the 
oddity  of  the  conceit,  and  partly  from  the  docility  with 
which  commander-in-chief's  jokes  are  usually  received. 
The  feeling  of  momentary  indignation  which  had  aroused 
Sir  Gervaise  to  such  an  expression  of  his  disgust  at  mod- 
ern inventions  was  appeased  by  this  little  success;  and, 
inviting  his  captain  to  sup  with  him, — a  substitute  for  a 
dinner, — he  led  the  way  below  in  high  good-humor,  Gal- 
leygo  having  just  announced  that  the  table  was  ready. 

The  C07wives  on  this  occasion  were  merely  the  admiral 
himself.  Greenly,  and  Atwood.  The  fare  was  substantial, 
rather  than  scientific;  but  the  service  was  rich;  Sir  Ger- 
vaise uniformly  eating  off  of  plate.  In  addition  to  Gal- 
leygo,  no  less  than  five  domestics  attended  to  the  wants 
of  the  party.  As  a  ship  of  the  Plantagenet's  size  was 
reasonably  steady  at  all  times,  a  gale  of  wind  excepted. 

22 


338  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

when  the  lamps  and  candles  were  lighted,  and  the  group 
was  arranged,  aided  by  the  admixture  of  rich  furniture  with 
frowning  artillery  and  the  other  appliances  of  war,  the  great 
cabin  of  the  Plantagenet  was  not  without  a  certain  air  of 
rude  magnificence.  Sir  Gervaise  kept  no  less  than  three 
servants  in  livery,  as  a  part  of  his  personal  establishment, 
tolerating  Galleygo,  and  one  or  two  more  of  the  same  stamp, 
as  a  homage  due  to  Neptune. 

The  situation  not  being  novel  to  either  of  the  party,  and 
the  day's  work  having  been  severe,  the  first  twenty  minutes 
were  pretty  studiously  devoted  to  the  duty  of  "  restoration," 
as  it  is  termed  by  the  great  masters  of  the  science  of  the 
table.  By  the  end  of  that  time,  however,  the  glass  began 
to  circulate,  though  moderately,  and  with  it  tongues  to 
loosen. 

"Your  health.  Captain  Greenly — Atwood,  I  remember 
you,"  said  the  vice-admiral,  nodding  his  head  familiarly 
to  his  two  guests,  on  the  eve  of  tossing  off  a  glass  of  sherry. 
"These  Spanish  wines  go  directly  to  the  heart,  and  I  only 
wonder  why  a  people  who  can  make  them  don't  make  better 
sailors." 

"  In  the  days  of  Columbus,  the  Spaniards  had  something 
to  boast  of  in  that  way,  too.  Sir  Gervaise,"  Atwood  re- 
marked. 

"Ay,  but  that  was  a  long  time  ago,  and  they  have  got 
bravely  over  it.  I  account  for  the  deficiencies  of  both  the 
French  and  Spanish  marines  something  in  this  way,  Greenly. 
Columbus,  and  the  discovery  of  America,  brought  ships  and 
sailors  into  fashion.  But  a  ship  without  an  officer  fit  to 
command  her  is  like  a  body  without  a  soul.  Fashion,  how- 
ever, brought  your  young  nobles  into  their  services,  and 
men  were  given  vessels  because  their  fathers  were  dukes 
and  counts,  and  not  because  they  knew  anything  about 
them." 

"  Is  our  own  service  entirely  free  from  this  sort  of  favor- 
itism?" quietly  demanded  the  captain, 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  339 

"Far  from  it,  Greenly;  else  would  not  Morganic  have 
been  made  a  captain  at  twenty,  and  old  Parker,  for  in- 
stance, one  only  at  fifty.  But,  somehow,  our  classes  slide 
into  each  other,  in  a  way  that  neutralizes,  in  a  great  degree, 
the  effect  of  birth.     Is  it  not  so,  Atwood?" 

^^  So?ne  of  our  classes,  Sir  Gervaise,  manage  to  slide  into 
all  the  best  places,  if  the  truth  must  be  said." 

"Well,  that  is  pretty  bold  for  a  Scotchman!"  rejoined  the 
vice-admiral  good-humoredly.  "  Ever  since  the  accession 
of  the  house  of  Stuart,  we've  built  a  bridge  across  the  Tweed 
that  lets  people  pass  in  only  one  direction.  I  make  no 
doubt  this  Pretender's  son  will  bring  down  half  Scotland 
at  his  heels,  to  fill  all  the  berths  they  may  fancy  suitable 
to  their  merits.  It's  an  easy  way  of  paying  bounty — 
promises." 

"This  affair  in  the  north,  they  tell  me,  seems  a  little 
serious,"  said  Greenly.  "  I  believe  this  is  Mr.  Atwood's 
opinion?" 

"  You'll  find  it  serious  enough,  if  Sir  Gervaise's  notion 
about  the  bounty  be  true,"  answered  the  immovable  secre- 
tary. "  Scotia  is  a  small  country,  but  it's  well  filled  with 
*  braw  sperits,'  if  there's  an  opening  for  them  to  prove  it." 

"Well,  well,  this  war  between  England  and  Scotland  is 
out  of  place,  while  we  have  the  French  and  Spaniards  on 
our  hands.  Most  extraordinary  scenes  have  we  had  ashore, 
yonder,  Greenly,  with  an  old  Devonshire  baronet,  who  slipped 
and  is  off  for  the  other  world,  while  we  were  in  his  house." 

"  Magrath  has  told  me  something  of  it,  sir;  and  he  tells 
me  t\iQ  JiU-us-null-Hs — hang  me  if  I  can  make  out  his  gib- 
berish, five  minutes  after  it  was  told  to  me." 

"  Filius  fiuUius^  you  mean ;  nobody's  baby — the  son  of 
nobody — have  you  forgotten  your  Latin,  man.?" 

"  Faith,  Sir  Gervaise,  I  never  had  any  to  forget.  My  fa- 
ther was  a  captain  of  a  man-of-war  before  me,  and  he  kept 
me  afloat  from  the  time  I  was  five,  down  to  the  day  of  his 
death;  Latin  was  no  part  of  my  spoon-meat." 


340  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

"  Ay — ay — my  good  fellow,  I  knew  your  father,  and  was 
in  the  third  ship  from  him,  in  the  action  in  which  he  fell," 
returned  the  vice-admiral  kindly.  "  Bluewater  was  just 
ahead  of  him,  and  we  all  loved  him,  as  we  did  an  elder 
brother.     You  were  not  promoted,  then." 

''  No,  sir,  I  was  only  a  midshipman,  and  didn't  happen 
to  be  in  his  own  ship  that  day,"  answered  Greenly,  sen- 
sibly touched  with  this  tribute  to  his  parent's  merit;  "but 
I  was  old  enough  to  remember  how  nobly  you  all  behaved 
on  the  occasion.  Well," — slily  brushing  his  eye  with  his 
hand, — "  Latin  may  do  a  schoolmaster  good,  but  it  is  of  lit- 
tle use  on  board  ship.  I  never  had  but  one  scholar  among 
all  my  cronies  and  intimates." 

"And  who  was  he.  Greenly?  You  shouldn't  despise 
knowledge,  because  you  don't  understand  it.  I  dare  say 
your  intimate  was  none  the  worse  for  a  little  Latin — enough 
to  go  through  fiuHus^  7iuUa^  fiuilum,  for  instance.  Who  was 
this  intimate.  Greenly?" 

"  John  Bluewater — handsome  Jack,  as  he  was  called ;  the 
younger  brother  of  the  admiral.  They  sent  him  to  sea,  to 
keep  him  out  of  harm's  way  in  some  love  affair;  and  you 
may  remember  that  while  he  was  with  the  admiral,  or  Cap- 
tain Bluewater,  as  he  was  then,  I  was  one  f  the  lieutenants. 
Although  poor  Jack  was  a  soldier  and  in  the  guards,  and  he 
was  four  or  five  years  my  senior,  he  took  a  fancy  to  me,  and 
we  became  intimate.  He  understood  Latin,  better  than  he 
did  his  own  interests." 

"  In  what  did  he  fail  ? — Bluewater  was  never  very  commu- 
nicative to  me  about  that  brother." 

"  That  was  a  private  marriage,  and  cross  guardians,  and 
the  usual  difficulties.  In  the  midst  of  it  all,  poor  John  fell 
in  battle,  as  you  know,  and  his  widow  followed  him  to  the 
grave  within  a  month  or  two.  'Twas  a  sad  story  all  round, 
and  I  try  to  think  of  it  as  little  as  possible." 

"A  private  marriage!"  repeated  Sir  Gervaise  slowly. 
"Are  you  quite  sure  of  that?     I   don't  think  Bluewater  is 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  341 

aware  of  that  circumstance;  at  least,  I  never  heard  him 
allude  to  it.     Could  there  have  been  any  issue?" 

"  No  one  can  know  it  better  than  myself,  as  I  helped  to 
get  the  lady  off,  and  was  present  at  the  ceremony.  That 
much  I  know.  Of  issue,  I  should  think  there  was  none; 
though  the  colonel  lived  a  year  after  the  marriage.  How 
far  the  admiral  is  familiar  with  all  these  circumstances  I 
cannot  say,  as  one  would  not  like  to  introduce  the  partic- 
ulars of  a  private  marriage  of  a  deceased  brother,  to  his 
commanding  officer." 

"  I  am  glad  there  was  no  issue,  Greenly — particular  cir- 
cumstances make  me  glad  of  that.  But  we  will  change  the 
discourse,  as  these  family  disasters  make  one  melancholy; 
and  a  melancholy  dinner  is  like  ingratitude  to  Him  who 
bestows  it." 

The  conversation  now  grew  general,  and  in  due  season, 
in  common  with  the  feast,  it  ended.  After  sitting  the  usual 
time,  the  guests  retired.  Sir  Gervaise  then  went  on  deck, 
and  paced  the  poop  for  an  hour,  looking  anxiously  ahead, 
in  quest  of  the  French  signal;  and,  failing  of  discovering 
them,  he  was  fain  to  seek  his  berth  out  of  sheer  fatigue. 
Before  he  did  this,  however,  the  necessary  orders  were 
given;  and  that  to  call  him,  should  anything  out  of  the 
common  track  occur,  was  repeated  no  less  than  four  times. 


CHAPTER      XXI. 

"  Roll  on,  thou  deep  and  dark-blue  ocean— roll. 
Ten  thousand  fleets  sweep  over  thee  in  vain  ; 
Man  marks  the  earth  with  ruin — his  control 

Stops  with  the  shore  ;— upon  the  wat'ry  plain 
The  wrecks  are  all  thy  deed." 

Childe  Harold. 

It  was  broad  daylight  when  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  next 
appeared  on  deck.  As  the  scene  then  offered  to  his  view, 
as  well  as  the  impression  it  made  on  his  mind,  will  suffi* 


342  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

ciently  explain  to  the  reader  the  state  of  affairs,  some  six 
hours  later  than  the  time  last  included  in  our  account,  we 
refer  him  to  those  for  his  own  impressions.  The  wind  now 
blew  a  real  gale,  though  the  season  of  the  year  rendered  it 
less  unpleasant  to  the  feelings  than  is  usual  with  the  winter 
tempests.  The  air  was  even  bland,  and  still  charged  with 
the  moisture  of  the  ocean ;  though  it  came  sweeping  athwart 
sheets  of  foam,  with  a  fury,  at  moments,  which  threatened 
to  carry  the  entire  summits  of  waves  miles  from  their  beds, 
in  spray.  Even  the  aquatic  birds  seemed  to  be  terrified, 
in  the  instants  of  the  greatest  power  of  the  winds,  actually 
wheeling  suddenly  on  their  wings,  and  plunging  into  the 
element  beneath  to  seek  protection  from  the  maddened 
efforts  of  that  to  which  they  more  properly  belonged. 

Still,  Sir  Gervaise  saw  that  his  ships  bore  up  nobly 
against  the  fierce  strife.  Each  vessel  showed  the  same  can- 
vas, viz. — a  reefed  foresail;  a  small  triangular  piece  of 
strong,  heavy  cloth,  fitted  between  the  end  of  the  bowsprit 
and  the  head  of  the  fore-topmast;  a  similar  sail  over  the 
quarter-deck,  between  the  mizzen  and  main  masts,  and  a 
close-reefed  main-topsail.  Several  times  that  morning. 
Captain  Greenly  had  thought  he  should  be  compelled  to 
substitute  a  lower  surface  to  the  wind  than  that  of  the  sail 
last  mentioned.  As  it  was  an  important  auxiliary,  however, 
in  steadying  the  ship,  and  in  keeping  her  under  the  command 
of  her  helm,  on  each  occasion  the  order  had  been  delayed, 
until  he  now  began  to  question  whether  the  canvas  could 
be  reduced,  without  too  great  a  risk  to  the  men  whom  it 
would  be  necessary  to  send  aloft.  He  had  decided  to  let 
it  stand  or  blow  away,  as  fortune  might  decide.  Similar 
reasoning  left  nearly  all  the  other  vessels  under  precisely 
the  same  canvas. 

The  ships  of  the  vice-admiral's  division  had  closed  in 
the  night,  agreeably  to  an  order  given  before  quitting  the 
anchorage,  which  directed  them  to  come  within  the  usual 
sailing  distance,  in  the  event  of  the  weather's  menacing  a 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  343 

separation.  This  command  had  been  obeyed  on  the  ships 
astern  carrying  sail  hard,  long  after  the  leading  vessels  had 
been  eased  by  reducing  their  canvas.  The  order  of  sailing 
was  the  Plantagenet  in  the  van,  and  the  Carnatic,  Achilles, 
Thunderer,  Blenheim,  and  Warspite  following,  in  the  order 
named;  some  changes  having  been  made  in  the  night,  in 
order  to  bring  the  ships  of  the  divisions  into  their  fighting- 
stations,  in  a  line  ahead,  the  vice-admiral  leading.  The 
superiority  of  the  Plantagenet  was  a  little  apparent,  not- 
withstanding; the  Carnatic  alone,  and  that  only  by  means 
of  the  most  careful  watching,  being  able  to  keep  literally  in 
the  commander-in-chief's  wake ;  all  the  other  vessels  gradu- 
ally but  almost  imperceptibly  setting  to  leeward  of  it.  These 
several  circumstances  struck  Sir  Gervaise,  the  moment  his 
foot  touched  the  poop,  where  he  found  Greenly  keeping  an 
anxious  lookout  on  the  state  of  the  w^eather  and  the  condi- 
tion of  his  own  ship;  leaning  at  the  same  time  against 
the  spanker-boom  to  steady  himself  in  the  gusts  of  the  gale. 
The  vice-admiral  braced  his  own  well-knit  and  compact 
frame,  by  spreading  his  legs;  then  he  turned  his  handsome 
but  weatherbeaten  face  toward  the  line,  scanning  each  ship 
in  succession,  as  she  lay  over  to  the  wind  and  came  wallow- 
ing on,  shoving  aside  vast  mounds  of  water  with  her  bows, 
her  masts  describing  short  arcs  in  the  air,  and  her  hull  roll- 
ing to  windw^ard,  and  lurching,  as  if  boring  her  way  through 
the  ocean.  Galleygo,  who  never  regarded  himself  as  a  stew- 
ard in  a  gale  of  wind,  was  the  only  other  person  on  the  poop, 
whither  he  went  at  pleasure  by  a  sort  of  imprescriptible 
right. 

''  Well  done,  old  Planter!"  cried  Sir  Gervaise  heartily,  as 
soon  as  his  eye  had  taken  in  the  leading  peculiarities  of  the 
view.  "  You  see.  Greenly,  she  has  everybody  but  old  Parker 
to  leeward,  and  she  would  have  him  there,  too,  but  he  would 
carry  every  stick  he  has  out  of  the  Carnatic,  rather  than  not 
keep  his  berth.  Look  at  Master  IMorganic;  he  has  his  main 
course  close-reefed  on  the  Achilles,  to  luif  into  his  station, 


344  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

and  I'll  warrant  you  will  get  a  good  six  months'  wear  out  of 
that  ship  in  this  one  gale;  loosening  her  knees,  and  jerking 
her  spars  like  so  many  whip-handles;  and  all  for  love  of  the 
new  fashion  of  rigging  an  English  two-decker  like  an  Alger- 
ine  xebec!  Well,  let  him  tug  his  way  up  to  windward, 
Bond-street  fashion,  if  he  likes  the  fun.  What  has  become 
of  the  Chloe,  Greenly?" 

"  Here  she  is,  sir,  quite  a  league  on  our  lee-bow,  looking 
out,  according  to  orders." 

"  Ay,  that  is  her  work,  and  she'll  do  it  effectually. — But  I 
don't  see  the  Driver!" 

"  She's  dead  ahead,  sir,"  answered  Greenly,  smiling;  "  her 
oiders  being  rather  more  difficult  of  execution.  Her  station 
would  be  off  yonder  to  windward,  half  a  league  ahead  of 
us;  but  it's  no  easy  matter  to  get  into  that  position.  Sir 
Gervaise,  when  the  Plantagenet  is  really  in  earnest." 

Sir  Gervaise  laughed,  and  rubbed  his  hands,  then  he 
turned  to  look  for  the  Active,  the  only  other  vessel  of  his 
division.  This  little  cutter  was  dancing  over  the  seas,  half 
the  time  under  water,  notwithstanding,  under  the  head  of 
her  mainsail,  broad  off,  on  the  admiral's  weather-beam; 
finding  no  difficulty  in  maintaining  her  station  there,  in  the 
absence  of  all  top-hamper,  and  favored  by  the  lowness  of 
her  hull.  After  this  he  glanced  upward  at  the  sails  and 
spars  of  the  Plantagenet,  which  he  studied  closely. 

"No  signs  of  de  Vervillin,  hey!  Greenly?"  the  admiral 
asked,  when  his  survey  of  the  whole  fleet  had  ended.  **  I 
was  in  hopes  we  might  see  something  of  /«w,  when  the  light 
returned  this  morning." 

"  Perhaps  it  is  quite  as  well  as  it  is.  Sir  Gervaise,"  re- 
turned the  captain.  "  We  could  do  little  besides  look  at 
each  other,  in  this  gale,  and  Admiral  Bluewater  ought  to 
join  before  I  should  like  even  to  do  that.^^ 

"Think  you  so.  Master  Greenly!  There  you  are  mis- 
taken, then;  for  I'd  lie  by  him,  were  I  alone  in  this  ship, 
that  I  might  know  where  he  was  to  be  found  as  soon  as 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS  345 

the  weather  would  permit  us  to  have  something  to  say  to 
him." 

These  words  were  scarcely  uttered,  when  the  lookout  in 
the  forward  cross-trees  shouted  at  the  top  of  his  voice, 
"Sail-ho!"  At  the  next  instant  the  Chloe  fired  a  gun,  the 
report  of  which  was  just  heard  amid  the  roaring  of  the  gale, 
though  the  smoke  was  distinctly  seen  floating  above  the 
mists  of  the  ocean;  she  also  set  a  signal  at  her  naked 
mizzen-topgallant-masthead. 

"  Run  below,  young  gentleman,"  said  the  vice-admiral, 
advancing  to  the  break  of  the  poop  and  speaking  to  a  mid- 
shipman on  the  quarter-deck ;  "  and  desire  Mr.  Bunting  to 
make  his  appearance.  The  Chloe  signals  us — tell  him  not 
to  look  for  his  knee-buckles." 

A  century  since,  the  last  injunction,  though  still  so  much 
in  use  on  shipboard,  was  far  more  literal  than  it  is  to-day, 
nearly  all  classes  of  men  possessing  the  articles  in  question, 
though  not  invariably  wearing  them  when  at  sea.  The 
midshipman  dove  below,  however,  as  soon  as  the  words 
were  out  of  his  superior's  mouth;  and,  in  a  very  few  min- 
utes. Bunting  appeared,  having  actually  stopped  on  the 
main-deck  ladder  to  assume  his  coat,  lest  he  might  too  un- 
ceremoniously invade  the  sacred  precincts  of  the  quarter- 
deck, in  his  shirt-sleeves. 

"There  it  is.  Bunting,"  said  Sir  Gervaise,  handing  the 
lieutenant  the  glass;  "two  hundred  and  twenty-seven — *A 
large  sail  ahead,'  if  I  remember  right." 

"  No,  Sir  Gervaise,  *  Sails  ahead  ';  the  number  of  them  to 
follow.     Hoist  the  answering  flag,  quartermaster." 

"So  much  the  better!  So  much  the  better,  Bunting! 
The  number  to  follow?  Well,  zue'/lioWow  the  number,  let 
it  be  greater  or  smaller.  Come,  sirrah,  bear  a  hand  up  with 
your  answering  flag." 

The  usual  signal  that  the  message  was  understood  was  now 
run  up  between  the  masts,  and  instantly  hauled  down  again, 
the  flags  seen  in  the  Chloe  descending  at  the  same  moment. 


34^  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"Now  for  the  number  of  the  sails,  ahead,"  said  Sir  Ger- 
vaise,  as  he,  Greenly,  and  Bunting  each  levelled  a  glass  at 
the  frigate,  on  board  which  the  next  signal  was  momentarily 
expected.     "Eleven,  by  George!" 

"  No,  Sir  Gervaise,"  exclaimed  Greenly,  "  I  know  better 
than  that.  Red  above  and  blue  beneath,  with  the  distin- 
guishing pennant  be?teath^  make  fourteen^  in  our  books, 
now!" 

"Well,  sir,  if  they  z.rQ/orty,  we'll  go  nearer  and  see  of 
what  sort  of  stuff  they  are  made.  Show  your  answering 
flag,  Bunting,  that  we  may  know  what  else  the  Chloe  has  to 
tell  us." 

This  was  done,  the  frigate  hauling  down  her  signals  in 
haste,  and  showing  a  new  set  as  soon  as  possible. 

"What  now.  Bunting? — what  now,  Greenly?"  demanded 
Sir  Gervaise,  a  sea  having  struck  the  side  of  the  ship  and 
thrown  so  much  spray  into  his  face  as  to  reduce  him  to  the 
necessity  of  using  his  pocket-handkerchief,  at  the  very  mo- 
ment he  was  anxious  to  be  looking  through  his  glass. 
"What  do  you  make  of  that,  gentlemen?" 

"I  make  out  the  number  to  be  382,"  answered  Greenly; 
"but  what  it  means,  I  know  not." 

"*  Strange  sails,  <?;/^w/<?j,' "  read  Bunting  from  the  book. 
"  Show  the  answer,  quartermaster." 

"  We  hardly  wanted  a  signal  for  that,  Greenly,  since  there 
can  be  no  friendly  force  hereaway;  and  fourteen  sail,  on 
this  coast,  always  means  mischief.  What  says  the  Chloe 
next?" 

"  *  Strange  sails  on  the  larboard  tack,  heading  as  fol- 
lows.' " 

"  By  George,  crossing  our  course ! — We  shall  soon  see 
them  from  deck.     Do  the  ships  astern  notice  the  signals?" 

"  Every  one  of  them.  Sir  Gervaise,"  answered  the  captain ; 
"the  Thunderer  has  just  lowered  her  answering  flag,  and 
the  Active  is  repeating.  I  have  never  seen  quartermasters 
so  nimble!" 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  ^^'y 

"So  much  the  better — so  much  the  better — down  he 
comes;  stand  by  for  another." 

After  the  necessary  pause,  the  signal  to  denote  the  point 
of  the  compass  was  shown  from  the  Chloe. 

"Heading  how,  Bunting?"  the  vice-admiral  eagerly  in- 
quired.    ''Heading  how,  sir?" 

"  North-west-and-by-north,"  or,  as  Bunting  pronounced  it, 
"  nor-west-and-by-noathe,  I  believe,  sir — no,  I  am  mistaken, 
SirGervaise;  it  is  nor-nor-west." 

"Jammed  up  like  ourselves,  hard  on  a  wind!  This  gale 
comes  directly  from  the  broad  Atlantic,  and  one  party  is 
crossing  over  to  the  north  and  the  other  to  the  south  shore. 
We  musf  meet,  unless  one  of  us  run  away — hey!  Greenly?" 

"  True  enough.  Sir  Gervaise ;  though  fourteen  sail  is  rather 
an  awkward  odds  for  seven." 

"You  forget  the  Driver  and  Active,  sir;  we've  nine;  nine 
hearty,  substantial  British  cruisers." 

"To  wit:  six  ships  of  the  line,  one  frigate,  a  s/ooJ>,  and  a 
cutter^'  laying  heavy  emphasis  on  the  two  last  vessels. 

"What  does  the  Chloe  say  now.  Bunting?  That  we're 
enough  for  the  French,  although  they  are  two  to  one?" 

"  Not  exactly  that,  I  believe.  Sir  Gervaise.  *  Five  more 
sail  ahead.'     They  increase  fast,  sir." 

"  Ay,  at  that  rate,  they  may  indeed  grow  too  strong  for 
us,"  answered  Sir  Gervaise,  with  more  coolness  of  manner; 
"  nineteen  to  nine  are  rather  heavy  odds.  I  wish  we  had 
Bluewater  here!" 

"That  is  what  I  was  about  to  suggest.  Sir  Gervaise," 
observed  the  captain.  "  If  we  had  the  other  division,  as 
some  of  the  Frenchmen  are  probably  frigates  and  corvettes, 
we  might  do  better.  Admiral  Bluewater  cannot  be  far  from 
us;  somewhere  down  here,  toward  northeast — or  nor-nor- 
east.  By  waring  round,  I  think  we  should  make  his  division 
in  the  course  of  a  couple  of  hours." 

"  What,  and  leave  to  Monsieur  de  Vervillin  the  advantage 
of  swearing  he  frightened  us  away !     No— no— Greenly ;  we 


34^  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

will  first  pass  him  tairly  and  manfully,  and  that,  too,  within 
reach  of  shot;  and  then  it  will  be  time  enough  to  go  round 
and  look  after  our  friends." 

"Will  not  that  be  putting  the  French  exactly  between  our 
two  divisions,  Sir  Gervaise,  and  give  him  the  advantage  of 
dividing  our  force?  If  he  stand  far,  on  a  nor-nor-west 
course,  I  think  he  will  infallibly  get  between  us  and  Admi- 
ral Bluewater." 

"And  what  will  he  gain  by  that,  Greenly? — What,  ac- 
cording to  your  notions  of  matters  and  things,  will  be  the 
great  advantage  of  having  an  English  fleet  on  each  side  of 
him?" 

"  Not  much,  certainly,  Sir  Gervaise,"  answered  Greenly, 
laughing;  ''if  these  fleets  were  at  all  equal  to  his  own. 
But  as  they  will  be  much  inferior  to  him,  the  Comte  may 
manage  to  close  with  one  division,  while  the  other  is  so  far 
off  as  to  be  unable  to  assist;  and  one  hour  of  a  hot  fire  may 
dispose  of  the  victory." 

"  All  this  is  apparent  enough,  Greenly ;  yet  I  could  hardly 
brook  letting  the  enemy  go  scatheless.  So  long  as  it  blows 
as  it  does  now,  there  will  not  be  much  fighting,  and  there 
can  be  no  harm  in  taking  a  near  look  at  M.  de  Vervillin. 
In  half  an  hour,  or  an  hour  at  most,  we  must  get  a  sight  of 
him  from  off  deck,  even  with  this  slow  headway  of  the  two 
fleets.  Let  them  heave  the  log,  and  ascertain  how  fast  we 
go,  sir." 

"  Should  we  engage  the  French  in  such  weather.  Sir  Ger- 
vaise," answered  Greenly,  after  giving  the  order  just  men- 
tioned; "it  would  be  giving  them  the  very  advantage  they 
like.  They  usually  fire  at  the  spars,  and  one  shot  would  do 
more  mischief,  with  such  a  strain  on  the  masts,  than  half-a- 
dozen  in  a  moderate  blow." 

"That  will  do.  Greenly — that  will  do,"  said  the  vice- 
admiral  impatiently;  "if  I  didn't  so  well  know  you, 
and  hadn't  seen  you  so  often  engaged,  I  should  think 
you  were  afraid   of   these   nineteen   sail.     You   have  lee- 


THE  TWO   ADMIRALS.  349 

tured  long  enough  to  render  me  prudent,  and  we'll  say 
no  more." 

Here  Sir  Gervaise  turned  on  his  heel,  and  began  to  pace 
the  poop,  for  he  was  slightly  vexed,  though  not  angered. 
Such  little  dialogues  often  occurred  between  him  and  his 
captain,  the  latter  knowing  that  his  commander's  greatest 
professional  failing  was  excess  of  daring,  while  he  felt  that 
his  own  reputation  was  too  well  established  to  be  afraid  to 
inculcate  prudence.  Next  to  the  honor  of  the  flag,  and  his 
own  perhaps.  Greenly  felt  the  greatest  interest  in  that  of  Sir 
Gervaise  Oakes,  under  whom  he  had  served  as  midshipman, 
lieutenant,  and  captain ;  and  this  his  superior  knew,  a  cir- 
cumstance that  would  have  excused  far  greater  liberties. 
After  moving  swiftly  to  and  fro  several  times,  the  vice- 
admiral  began  to  cool,  and  he  forgot  this  passing  ebullition 
of  quick  feelings.  Greenly,  on  the  other  hand,  satisfied  that 
the  just  mind  of  the  commander-in-chief  would  not  fail  to 
appreciate  facts  that  had  been  so  plainly  presented  to  it, 
was  content  to  change  the  subject.  They  conversed  to- 
gether in  a  most  friendly  manner.  Sir  Gervaise  being  even 
unusually  frank  and  communicative,  in  order  to  prove  he  was 
not  displeased,  the  matter  in  discussion  being  the  state  of 
the  ship  and  the  situation  of  the  crew. 

"  You  are  always  ready  for  battle,  Greenly,"  the  vice- 
admiral  said  smilingly,  in  conclusion;  "when  there  is  a 
necessity;  and  always  just  as  ready  to  point  out  the  inexpe- 
diency of  engaging,  where  you  fancy  nothing  is  to  be  gained 
by  it.  You  would  not  have  me  run  away  from  a  shadow, 
however,  or  a  signal, — and  that  is  much  the  same  thing:  so 
we  will  stand  on,  until  we  make  the  Frenchmen  fairly  from 
off-deck,  when  it  will  be  time  enough  to  determine  what 
shall  come  next." 

"Sail-ho!"  shouted  one  of  the  lookouts  from  aloft,  a  cry 
that  immediately  drew  all  eyes  toward  the  mizzen-topmast 
cross-trees,  whence  the  sound  proceeded. 

The  wind  blew  too  fresh  to  render  conversation,  even  by 


350  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

means  of  a  trumpet,  easy,  and  the  man  was  ordered  down  to 
give  an  account  of  what  he  had  seen.  Of  course  he  first 
touched  the  poop-deck,  where  he  was  met  by  the  admiral 
and  captain,  the  officer  of  the  watch,  to  whom  he  properly  be- 
longed, giving  him  up  to  the  examination  of  his  two  supe- 
riors, without  a  grimace. 

"  Where-away  is  the  sail  you've  seen,  sir?"  demanded  Sir 
Gervaise  a  little  sharply,  for  he  suspected  it  was  no  more 
than  one  of  the  ships  ahead,  already  signalled.  "  Down 
yonder  to  the  southward  and  eastward^ — hey!   sirrah?" 

"No,  Sir  Jarvy,"  answered  the  topman,  hitching  his 
trousers  with  one  hand,  and  smoothing  the  hair  on  his 
forehead  with  the  other;  "but  out  here,  to  the  nor'ard 
and  west'ard,  on  our  weather-quarter.  It's  none  o'  them 
French  chaps  as  is  with  the  County  of  Fairvillian" — 
for  so  all  the  common  men  of  the  fleet  believed  their 
gallant  enemy  to  be  rightly  named — "  but  is  a  square- 
rigged  craft  by  herself,  jammed  up  on  a  wind,  pretty 
much  like  all  on  us." 

"That  alters  the  matter.  Greenly!  How  do  you  know 
she  is  square-rigged,  my  man?" 

"Why,  Sir  Jarvy,  your  honor,  she's  under  her  fore  and 
main  tawsails,  close-reefed,  with  a  bit  of  the  mainsail  set, 
as  well  as  I  can  make  it  out,  sir." 

"The  devil  she  is!  It  must  be  some  fellow  in  a  great 
hurry,  to  carry  that  canvas  in  this  blow  1  Can  it  be  possible, 
Greenly,  that  the  leading  vessel  of  Bluewater  is  heaving  in 
sight?" 

"I  rather  think  not,  Sir  Gervaise;  it  would  be  too  far  to 
windward  for  any  of  his  two-deckers.  It  may  turn  out  to 
be  a  lookout  ship  of  the  French,  got  round  on  the  other  tack 
to  keep  her  station,  and  carrying  sail  hard,  because  she 
dislikes  our  appearance." 

"  In  that  case  she  must  claw  well  to  windward  to  escape 
us !  What's  your  name,  my  lad — Tom  Davis,  if  I'm  not 
mistaken?" 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  35 1 

"No,  Sir  Jarvy,  it's  Jack  Brown;  which  is  much  the 
same  your  honor.     We's  no  ways  partic'lar  about  names." 

"Well,  Jack,  does  it  blow  hard  aloft?  So  as  to  give  you 
any  trouble  in  holding  on?" 

"  Nothing  to  speak  on,  Sir  Jarvy.  A'ter  cruising  a  win- 
ter and  spring  in  the  Bay  of  Biscay,  I  looks  on  this  as  no 
more  nor  a  puff.  Half  a  hand  will  keep  a  fellow  in  his 
berth,  aloft." 

"Galleygo — take  Jack  Brown  below  to  my  cabin,  and 
give  him  a  fresh  nip  in  his  jigger — he'll  hold  on  all  the 
better  for  it." 

This  was  Sir  Gervaise's  mode  of  atoning  for  the  error  in 
doing  the  man  injustice,  by  supposing  he  was  mistaken 
about  the  new  sail,  and  Jack  Brown  went  aloft  devoted  to 
the  commander-in-chief.  It  costs  the  great  and  powerful  so 
little  to  become  popular  that  one  is  sometimes  surprised  to 
find  that  any  are  otherwise ;  but,  when  we  remember  that  it 
is  also  their  duty  to  be  just,  astonishment  ceases;  justice 
being  precisely  the  quality  to  which  a  large  portion  of  the 
human  race  are  most  averse. 

Half  an  hour  passed,  and  no  further  reports  were  received 
from  aloft.  In  a  few  minutes,  however,  the  Warspite  sig- 
nalled the  admiral,  to  report  the  stranger  on  her  weather- 
quarter,  and,  not  long  after,  the  Active  did  the  same.  Still 
neither  told  his  character;  and,  the  course  being  substan- 
tially the  same,  the  unknown  ship  approached  but  slowly, 
notwithstanding  the  unusual  quantity  of  sail  she  had  set. 
At  the  end  of  the  period  mentioned,  the  vessels  in  the  south- 
eastern board  began  to  be  visible  from  the  deck.  The  ocean 
was  so  white  with  foam  that  it  was  not  easy  to  distinguish  a 
ship,  under  short  canvas,  at  any  great  distance ;  but,  by  the 
aid  of  glasses,  both  Sir  Gervaise  and  Greenly  satisfied 
themselves  that  the  number  of  the  enemy  at  the  southward 
amounted  to  just  twenty;  one  more  having  hove  in  sight, 
and  been  signalled  by  the  Chloe,  since  her  first  report. 
Several  of  these  vessels,  however,  were  small ;  and  the  vice- 


352  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

admiral,  after  a  long  and  anxious  survey,  lowered  his  glass 
and  turned  to  his  captain  in  order  to  compare  opinions. 

"  Well,  Greenly,"  he  asked,  "  what  do  you  make  of  them, 
now? — According  to  my  reckoning,  there  are  thirteen  of  the 
line,  two  frigates,  four  corvettes,  and  a  lugger;  or  twenty 
sail  in  all." 

"There  can  be  no  doubt  of  the  twenty  sail.  Sir  Gervaise, 
though  the  vessels  astern  are  still  too  distant  to  speak  of 
their  size.  I  rather  think  it  will  turn  o\i\. /ourtee?i  of  the 
line  and  only  three  frigates." 

"  That  is  rather  too  much  for  us,  certainly,  without  Blue- 
water.  His  five  ships,  now,  and  this  westerly  position, 
would  make  a  cheering  prospect  for  us.  We  might  stick  by 
Mr.  de  Vervillin  until  it  moderated,  and  then  pay  our  respects 
to  him.     What  do  you  say  to  ///<?/,  Greenly.''" 

"That  it  is  of  no  great  moment.  Sir  Gervaise,  so  long  as 
the  other  division  is  ?wt  with  us.  But  yonder  are  signals 
flying  on  board  the  Active,  the  Warspite,  and  the  Blenheim." 

"Ay,  they've  something  to  tell  us  of  the  chap  astern  and 
to  windward.     Come,  Bunting,  give  us  the  news." 

" '  Stranger  in  the  northwest  shows  the  Druid's  number,'  ^ 
the  signal-officer  read  mechanically  from  the  book. 

"  The  deuce  he  does !  Then  Bluewater  cannot  be  far  off. 
Let  Dick  alone  for  keeping  in  his  proper  place;  he  has  an 
instinct  for  a  line  of  battle,  and  I  never  knew  him  fail  to  be 
in  the  very  spot  I  could  wish  to  have  him,  looking  as  much 
at  home  as  if  his  ships  had  all  been  built  there!  The 
Druid's  number!  The  Caesar  and  the  rest  of  them  are  in  a 
line  ahead,  further  north,  heading  up  well  to  windward  even 
of  our  own  wake.  This  puts  the  Comte  fairly  under  our 
lee." 

But  Greenly  was  far  from  being  of  a  temperament  as  san- 
guine as  that  of  the  vice-admiral's.  He  did  not  like  the 
circumstance  of  the  Druid's  being  alone  visible,  and  she, 
too,  under  what  in  so  heavy  a  gale  might  be  deemed  a  press 
of  canvas.     There  was  no  apparent  reason  for  the  division's 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  353 

carrying  sail  so  hard,  while  the  frigate  would  be  obliged  to 
do  it,  did  she  wish  to  overtake  vessels  like  the  Plantagenet 
and  her  consorts.  He  suggested,  therefore,  the  probability 
that  the  ship  was  alone,  and  that  her  object  might  be  to 
speak  them. 

"  There  is  something  in  what  you  say,  Greenly,"  answered 
Sir  Gervaise,  after  a  minute's  reflection ;  "  and  we  must 
look  into  it.  If  Denham  doesn't  give  us  anything  new  from 
the  Comte  to  change  our  plans,  it  may  be  well  to  learn  what 
the  Druid  is  after." 

Denham  was  the  commander  of  the  Chloe,  which  ship,  a 
neat  six-and-thirty,  was  pitching  into  the  heavy  seas  that 
now  came  rolling  in  heavily  from  the  broad  Atlantic,  the 
water  streaming  from  her  hawse-holes,  as  she  rose  from  each 
plunge,  like  the  spouts  of  a  whale.  This  vessel,  it  has  been 
stated,  was  fully  a  league  ahead  and  to  leeward  of  the  Plan- 
tagenet, and  consequently  so  much  nearer  to  the  French, 
who  were  approaching  from  that  precise  quarter  of  the  ocean, 
in  a  long  single  line,  like  that  of  the  English;  a  little  re- 
lieved, however,  by  the  lookout  vessels,  all  of  which,  in  their 
case,  were  sailing  along  on  the  weather-beam  of  their  friends. 
The  distance  was  still  so  great  as  to  render  glasses  neces- 
sary in  getting  any  very  accurate  notions  of  the  force  and 
the  point  of  sailing  of  Monsieur  de  Vervillin's  fleet,  the 
ships  astern  being  yet  so  remote  as  to  require  long  practice 
to  speak  with  any  certainty  of  their  characters.  In  nothing, 
notwithstanding,  was  the  superior  practical  seamanship  of 
the  English  more  apparent  than  in  the  manner  in  which  these 
respective  lines  were  formed.  That  of  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes 
was  compact,  each  ship  being  as  near  as  might  be  a  cable's 
length  distant  from  her  seconds,  ahead  and  astern.  This 
was  a  point  on  which  the  vice-admiral  prided  himself;  and 
by  compelling  his  captains  rigidly  to  respect  their  line  of 
sailing,  and  by  keeping  the  same  ships  and  officers,  as  much 
as  possible,  under  his  orders,  each  captain  of  the  fleet  had 
got  to  know  his  own  vessel's  rate  of  speed,  and  all  the  other 
23 


354  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

qualities  that  were  necessary  to  maintain  her  precise  posi- 
tion. All  the  ships  being  weatherly,  though  some,  in  a 
slight  degree,  were  more  so  than  others,  it  was  easy  to  keep 
the  line  in  weather  like  the  present,  the  wind  not  blowing 
sufficiently  hard  to  render  a  few  cloths  more  or  less  of  canvas 
of  any  very  great  moment.  If  there  was  a  vessel  sensibly 
out  of  her  place,  in  the  entire  line,  it  was  the  Achilles; 
Lord  Morganic  not  having  had  time  to  get  all  his  forward 
spars  as  far  aft  as  they  should  have  been ;  a  circumstance 
that  had  knocked  him  off  a  little  more  than  had  happened 
to  the  other  vessels.  Nevertheless,  had  an  air-line  been 
drawn  at  this  moment,  from  the  mizzen-top  of  the  Plantage- 
net  to  that  of  the  Warspite,  it  would  have  been  found  to 
pass  through  the  spars  of  quite  half  the  intermediate  vessels, 
and  no  one  of  them  all  would  have  been  a  pistol-shot  out 
of  the  way.  As  there  were  six  intervals  between  the  vessels, 
and  each  interval  as  near  as  could  be  guessed  at  was  a  ca- 
ble's length,  the  extent  of  the  whole  line  a  little  exceeded 
three-quarters  of  a  mile. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  French,  though  they  preserved  a 
very  respectable  degree  of  order,  were  much  less  compact, 
and  by  no  means  as  methodical  in  their  manner  of  sailing. 
Some  of  their  ships  were  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  leeward  of 
the  line,  and  the  intervals  were  irregular  and  ill-observed. 
These  circumstances  arose  from  several  causes,  neither  of 
which  proceeded  from  any  fault  in  the  commander-in-chief, 
who  was  both  an  experienced  seaman  and  a  skilful  tactician. 
But  his  captains  were  new  to  each  other,  and  some  of  them 
were  recently  appointed  to  their  ships ;  it  being  just  as  much 
a  matter  of  course  that  a  seaman  should  ascertain  the  quali- 
ties of  his  vessel,  by  familiarity,  as  that  a  man  should  learn 
the  character  of  his  wife,  in  the  intimacy  of  wedlock. 

At  the  precise  moment  of  which  we  are  now  writing,  the 
Chloe  might  have  been  about  a  league  from  the  leading  ves- 
sel of  the  enemy,  and  her  position  to  leeward  of  her  own 
fleet  threatened  to  bring  her,  half  an  hour  later,  within  range 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  355 

of  the  Frenchmen's  guns.  This  fact  was  apparent  to  all  in 
the  squadron;  still  the  frigate  stood  on,  having  been  placed 
in  that  station,  and  the  whole  being  under  the  immediate 
supervision  of  the  commander-in-chief. 

"  Denham  will  have  a  warm  berth  of  it,  sir,  should  he 
stand  on  much  longer,"  said  Greenly,  when  ten  minutes  more 
had  passed,  during  which  the  ships  had  gradually  drawn 
nearer. 

"  I  was  hoping  he  might  get  between  the  most  weatherly 
French  frigate  and  her  line,"  answered  Sir  Gervaise ;  "  when 
I  think,  by  edging  rapidly  away,  we  could  take  her  alive, 
with  the  Plantagenet." 

"  In  which  case  we  might  as  well  clear  for  action ;  such 
a  manoeuvre  being  certain  to  bring  on  a  general  engage- 
ment." 

"  No — no — I'm  not  quite  mad  enough  for  that,  Master 
Telemachus;  but  we  can  wait  a  little  longer  for  the  chances. 
How  many  flags  can  you  make  out  among  the  enemy,  Bunt- 
ing?" 

"  I  see  but  two.  Sir  Gervaise ;  one  at  the  fore,  and  the 
other  at  the  mizzen,  like  our  own.  I  can  make  out,  now, 
only  twelve  ships  of  the  line,  too;  neither  of  which  is  a 
three-decker." 

"  So  much  for  rumor;  as  flagrant  a  liar  as  ever  wagged  a 
tongue!  Twelve  ships  on  two  decks,  and  eight  frigates, 
sloops,  and  luggers.  There  can  be  no  great  mistake  in 
this." 

"I  think  not,  Sir  Gervaise;  their  commander-in-chief  is 
in  the  fourth  ship  from  the  head  of  the  line.  His  flag  is 
just  discernible,  by  means  of  our  best  glass.  Ay,  there 
goes  a  signal,  this  instant,  at  the  end  of  his  gaff!" 

"  If  one  could  only  read  French  now.  Greenly,"  said 
the  vice-admiral,  smiling;  "we  might  get  into  some  of  Mr. 
de  Vervillin's  secrets.  Perhaps  it's  an  order  to  go  to  quar- 
ters or  to  clear;  look  out  sharp,  Bunting,  for  any  signs  oi 
such  a  movement.     What  do  you  make  of  it?"  * 


35^  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"It's  to  the  frigates,  Sir  Gervaise;  all  of  which  answer, 
while  the  other  vessels  do  not." 

"  We  want  no  French  to  read  that  signal,  sir,"  put  in 
Greenly;  "the  frigates  themselves  telling  us  what  it  means. 
Monsieur  de  Vervillin  has  no  idea  of  letting  the  Plantage- 
net  take  anything  he  has,  alive^ 

This  was  true  enough.  Just  as  the  captain  spoke,  the 
object  of  the  order  was  made  sufficiently  apparent,  by  all  the 
light  vessels  to  windward  of  the  French  fleet  bearing  up 
together,  until  they  brought  the  wind  abaft  their  beams, 
when  away  they  glided  to  leeward,  like  floating  objects  that 
have  suddenly  struck  a  swift  current.  Before  this  change  in 
their  course,  these  frigates  and  corvettes  had  been  strug- 
gling along,  the  seas  meeting  them  on  their  weather-bows, 
at  the  rate  of  about  two  knots  or  rather  less ;  whereas  their 
speed  was  now  quadrupled,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  whole 
of  them  had  sailed  through  the  different  intervals  in  their 
main  line,  and  had  formed  as  before,  nearly  half  a  league  to 
leeward  of  it.  Here,  in  the  event  of  an  action,  their  princi- 
pal duties  would  have  been  to  succor  crippled  ships  that 
might  be  forced  out  of  their  allotted  stations  during  the 
combat.  All  this  Sir  Gervaise  viewed  with  disgust.  He 
had  hoped  that  his  enemy  might  have  presumed  on  the  state 
of  the  elements,  and  suffered  his  light  vessels  to  maintain 
their  original  positions. 

"  It  would  be  a  great  triumph  to  us.  Greenly,"  he  said,  "  if 
Denham  could  pass  without  shifting  his  berth.  There  would 
be  something  manly  and  seamanlike  in  an  inferior  fleet's 
passing  a  superior,  in  such  a  style." 

"  Yes,  sir,  though  it  might  cost  us  a  fine  frigate.  The 
count  can  have  no  difficulty  in  fighting  his  weather  main- 
deck  guns,  and  a  discharge  from  two  or  three  of  his  leading 
vessels  might  cut  away  some  spar  that  Denham  would  miss 
sadly,  just  at  such  a  moment." 

Sir  Gervaise  placed  his  hands  behind  his  back,  paced  the 
deck  a  minute,  and  then  said  decidedly: 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  35/ 

"Bunting,  make  the  Chloe's  signal  to  ware — tacking  in 
this  sea,  and  under  that  short  canvas,  is  out  of  the  ques- 
tion." 

Bunting  had  anticipated  this  order,  and  had  even  ventured 
clandestinely  to  direct  the  quartermasters  to  bend  on  the 
necessary  flags;  and  Sir  Gervaise  had  scarcely  got  the  words 
out  of  his  mouth,  before  the  signal  was  abroad.  The  Chloe 
was  equally  on  the  alert;  for  she  too  each  moment  expected 
the  command,  and  ere  her  answering  flag  was  seen  her  helm 
was  up,  the  mizzen-staysail  down,  and  her  head  falling  off 
rapidly  toward  the  enemy.  This  movement  seemed  to  be 
expected  all  round — and  it  certainly  had  been  delayed  to 
the  very  last  moment — for  the  leading  French  ship  fell  off 
three  or  four  points,  and  as  the  frigate  was  exactly  end-on 
to  her,  let  fly  the  contents  of  all  the  guns  on  her  forecastle, 
as  well  as  of  those  on  her  main-deck,  as  far  aft  as  they 
could  be  brought  to  bear.  One  of  the  topsail-sheets  of  the 
frigate  was  shot  away  by  this  rapid  and  unexpected  fire,  and 
some  little  damage  was  done  to  the  standing  rigging;  but 
luckily  none  of  immediate  moment.  Captain  Denham  was 
active,  and  the  instant  he  found  his  topsail  flapping,  he  or- 
dered it  clewed  up,  and  the  mainsail  loosed.  The  latter 
was  set,  close-reefed,  as  the  ship  came  to  the  wind  on  the 
larboard  tack,  and  by  the  time  everything  was  braced  up 
and  hauled  aft,  on  that  tack,  the  main-topsail  was  ready  to 
be  sheeted  home  anew.  During  the  few  minutes  that  these 
evolutions  required,  Sir  Gervaise  kept  his  eye  riveted  on 
the  vessel ;  and  when  he  saw  her  fairly  round,  and  trimmed 
by  the  wind  again,  with  the  mainsail  dragging  her  ahead, 
to  own  the  truth  he  felt  mentally  relieved. 

"  Not  a  minute  too  soon,  Sir  Gervaise;"  observed  the  cau- 
tious Greenly,  smiling.  "  I  should  not  be  surprised  if  Den- 
ham hears  more  from  that  fellow  at  the  head  of  the  French 
line.  His  weather  chase-guns  are  exactly  in  a  range  with 
the  frigate,  and  the  two  upper  ones  might  be  worked  well 
enough." 


353  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"  I  think  not,  Greenly.  The  forecastle  gun,  possibly ; 
scarcely  anything  below  it." 

Sir  Gervaise  proved  to  be  partly  right  and  partly  wrong. 
The  Frenchman  did  attempt  a  fire  with  his  main-deck  gun ; 
but,  at  the  first  plunge  of  the  ship,  a  sea  slapped  up  against 
her  weather-bow,  and  sent  a  column  of  water  through  the 
port,  that  drove  half  its  crew  into  the  lee-scuppers.  In  the 
midst  of  this  waterspout,  the  gun  exploded,  the  loggerhead 
having  been  applied  an  instant  before,  giving  a  sort  of 
chaotic  wildness  to  the  scene  in-board.  This  satisfied  the 
party  below;  though  that  on  the  forecastle  fared  better. 
The  last  fired  their  gun  several  times,  and  always  without 
success.  This  failure  proceeded  from  a  cause  that  is  seldom 
sufficiently  estimated  by  nautical  gunners;  the  shot  having 
swerved  from  the  line  of  sight,  by  the  force  of  the  wind 
against  which  it  flew,  two  or  three  hundred  feet,  by  the  time 
it  had  gone  the  mile  that  lay  between  the  vessels.  Sir  Ger- 
vaise anxiously  watched  the  effect  of  the  fire,  and,  perceiv- 
ing that  all  the  shot  fell  to  leeward  of  the  Chloe,  he  was  no 
longer  uneasy  about  that  vessel,  and  he  began  to  turn  his 
attention  to  other  and  more  important  concerns. 

As  we  are  now  approaching  a  moment  when  it  is  neces- 
sary that  the  reader  should  receive  some  tolerably  distinct 
impression  of  the  relative  positions  of  the  two  entire  fleets, 
we  shall  close  the  present  chapter  here;  reserving  the  duty 
of  explanation  for  the  commencement  of  a  new  one. 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  359 


CHAPTER   XXII. 


All  were  glad, 


And  laughed,  and  shouted,  as  she  darted  on. 
And  plunged  amid  the  foam,  and  tossed  it  high, 
Over  the  deck,  as  when  a  strong,  curbed  steed 
Flings  the  froth  from  him  in  his  eager  race." 

Percival. 

The  long  twilight  of  a  high  latitude  had  now  ended,  and 
the  sun,  though  concealed  behind  clouds,  had  risen.  The 
additional  light  contributed  to  lessen  the  gloomy  look  of  the 
ocean,  though  the  fury  of  the  winds  and  waves  still  lent  to 
it  a  dark  and  menacing  aspect.  To  windward  there  were  no 
signs  of  an  abatement  of  the  gale,  while  the  heavens  con- 
tinued to  abstain  from  letting  down  their  floods  on  the  rag- 
ing waters  beneath.  By  this  time,  the  fleet  was  materially 
to  the  southward  of  Cape  la  Hogue,  though  far  to  the  west- 
ward, where  the  Channel  received  the  winds  and  waves  from 
the  whole  rake  of  the  Atlantic,  and  the  seas  were  setting  in, 
in  the  long,  regular  swells  of  the  ocean,  a  little  disturbed 
by  the  influence  of  the  tides.  Ships  as  heavy  as  the  two- 
deckers  moved  along  with  groaning  efforts,  their  bulkheads 
and  timbers  "  complaining,"  to  use  the  language  of  the  sea, 
as  the  huge  masses,  loaded  with  their  iron  artillery,  rose  and 
sunk  on  the  coming  and  receding  billows.  But  their  move- 
ments were  stately  and  full  of  majesty ;  whereas  the  cutter, 
sloop,  and  even  the  frigates,  seemed  to  be  tossed  like  foam, 
very  much  at  the  mercy  of  the  elements.  The  Chloe  was 
passing  the  admiral,  on  the  opposite  tack,  quite  a  mile  to 
leeward,  and  yet,  as  she  mounted  to  the  summit  of  a  wave, 
her  cutwater  was  often  visible  nearly  to  the  keel.  These 
are  the  trials  of  a  vessel's  strength;  for,  were  a  ship  always 
water-borne  equally  on  all  her  lines,  there  would  not  be  the 
necessity  which  now  exists  to  make  her  the  well-knit  mass  of 
wood  and  iron  she  is. 

The  progress  of  the  two  fleets  was  very  much  the  same. 


360  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

both  squadrons  struggling  along  through  the  billows,  at  the 
rate  of  about  a  marine  league  in  the  hour.  As  no  lofty  sail 
was  carried,  and  the  vessels  were  first  made  in  the  haze  of 
a  clouded  morning,  the  ships  had  not  become  visible  to  each 
other  until  nearer  than  common ;  and,  by  the  time  at  which 
we  have  now  arrived  in  our  tale,  the  leading  vessels  were 
separated  by  a  space  that  did  not  exceed  two  miles,  estimat- 
ing the  distance  only  on  their  respective  lines  of  sailing; 
though  there  would  be  about  the  same  space  between  them 
when  abreast,  the  English  being  so  much  to  windward  of 
their  enemies.  Any  one  in  the  least  familiar  with  nautical 
manoeuvres  will  understand  that  these  circumstances  would 
bring  the  van  of  the  French  and  the  rear  of  their  foes  much 
nearer  together  in  passing,  both  fleets  being  close-hauled. 

Sir  Gervaise  Oakes,  as  a  matter  of  course,  watched  the 
progress  of  the  two  lines  with  close  and  intelligent  atten- 
tion. Monsieur  deVervillin  did  the  same  from  the  poop  of 
Le  Foudroyant,  a  noble  eighty-gun  ship  in  which  his  flag  of 
vice-amiral  was  flying,  as  it  might  be,  in  defiance.  By  the 
side  of  the  former  stood  Greenly,  Bunting,  and  Bury,  the 
Plantagenet's  first  lieutenant;  by  the  side  of  the  latter  his 
capitaine  de  vaisseau,  a  man  as  little  like  the  caricatures  of 
such  officers  as  a  hostile  feeling  has  laid  before  the  readers 
of  English  literature,  as  Washington  was  like  the  man  held 
up  to  odium  in  the  London  journals,  at  the  commencement 
of  the  great  American  war.  Monsieur  de  Vervillin  himself 
was  a  man  of  respectable  birth,  of  a  scientific  education, 
and  of  great  familiarity  with  ships,  so  far  as  a  knowledge  of 
their  general  powers  and  principles  was  concerned ;  but  here 
his  professional  excellence  ceased,  all  that  infinity  of  detail 
which  composes  the  distinctive  merit  of  the  practical  sea- 
man being,  in  a  great  degree,  unknown  to  him,  rendering  it 
necessary  for  him  to  thi7ik  in  moments  of  emergency ;  periods 
when  the  really  prime  mariner  seems  more  to  act  by  a  sort 
of  i?isiinct  than  by  any  very  intelligible  process  of  ratiocina- 
tion.    With  his  fleet  drawn  out  before  him,  however,  and 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  36I 

with  no  unusual  demands  on  his  resources,  this  gallant  offi- 
cer was  an  exceedingly  formidable  foe  to  contend  with  in 
squadron. 

Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  lost  all  his  constitutional  and  feverish 
impatience  while  the  fleets  drew  nigher  and  nigher.  As  is 
not  unusual  with  brave  men  who  are  naturally  excitable,  as 
the  crisis  approached  he  grew  calmer,  and  obtained  a  more 
perfect  command  over  himself;  seeing  all  things  in  their 
true  colors,  and  feeling  more  and  more  equal  to  control 
them.  He  continued  to  walk  the  poop,  but  it  was  with  a 
slower  step;  and,  though  his  hands  were  still  closed  behind 
his  back,  the  fingers  were  passive,  while  his  countenance 
became  grave  and  his  eye  thoughtful.  Greenly  knew  that 
his  interference  would  now  be  hazardous ;  for  whenever  the 
vice-admiral  assumed  that  air  he  literally  became  com- 
mander-in-chief; and  any  attempt  to  control  or  influence 
him,  unless  sustained  by  the  communication  of  new  facts, 
could  only  draw  down  resentment  on  his  own  head.  Bun- 
ting, too,  was  aware  that  the  "  admiral  was  aboard,"  as  the 
officers,  among  themselves,  used  to  describe  this  state  of 
their  superior's  mind,  and  was  prepared  to  discharge  his 
own  duty  in  the  most  silent  and  rapid  manner  in  his  power. 
All  the  others  present  felt  more  or  less  of  this  same  influence 
of  an  established  character. 

"  J/r.  Bunting,"  said  Sir  Gervaise,  when  the  distance  be- 
tween the  Plantagenet  and  Le  Temeraire,  the  leading  French 
vessel,  might  have  been  about  a  league,  allowing  for  the 
difference  in  the  respective  lines  of  sailing — ^^  Mr.  Bunting, 
bend  on  the  signal  for  the  ships  to  go  to  quarters.  We  may 
as  well  be  ready  for  any  turn  of  the  dice." 

No  one  dared  to  comment  on  this  order:  it  was  obeyed 
in  readiness  and  silence. 

"  Signal  ready.  Sir  Gervaise,"  said  Bunting,  the  instant 
the  last  flag  was  in  its  place. 

"  Run  it  up  at  once,  sir,  and  have  a  bright  lookout  for  the 
answers.     Captain  Greenly,  go  to  quarters,  and  see  all  clear 


362  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

on  the  main-deck,  to  use  the  batteries  if  wanted.  The  peo- 
ple can  stand  fast  below,  as  I  think  it  might  be  dangerous 
to  open  the  ports." 

Captain  Greenly  passed  off  the  poop  to  the  quarter-deck, 
and  in  a  minute  the  drum  and  fife  struck  up  the  air  which 
is  known  all  over  the  civilized  world  as  the  call  to  arms. 
In  most  services  this  summons  is  made  by  the  drum  alone, 
which  emits  sounds  to  which  the  fancy  has  attached  peculiar 
words;  those  of  the  soldiers  of  France  being  "  Prend  ton  sac 
— pre?id  to7i  sac — prend  ton  sac^^^  no  bad  representatives  of  the 
meaning;  but  in  English  and  American  ships,  this  appeal 
is  usually  made  in  company  with  the  notes  of  the  "  ear- 
piercing  fife,"  which  gives  it  a  melody  that  might  otherwise 
be  wanting. 

"  Signal  answered  throughout  the  fleet,  Sir  Gervaise,"  said 
Bunting. 

No  answer  was  given  to  this  report  beyond  a  quiet  incli- 
nation of  the  head.  After  a  moment's  pause,  however,  the 
vice-admiral  turned  to  his  signal-officer   and  said: 

"  I  should  think,  Bunting,  no  captain  can  need  an  order 
to  tell  him  not  to  open  his  lee  lower-deck  ports  in  such  a  sea 
as  this?" 

"  I  rather  fancy  not,  Sir  Gervaise,"  answered  Bunting, 
looking  drolly  at  the  boiling  element  that  gushed  up  each 
minute  from  beneath  the  bottom  of  the  ship,  in  a  way  to 
appear  as  high  as  the  hammock-cloths.  "  The  people  at  the 
?«^/;z-deck  guils  would  have  rather  a  wet  time  of  it." 

"  Bend  on  the  signal,  sir,  for  the  ships  astern  to  keep  in 
the  vice-admiral's  wake.  Young  gentleman,"  to  the  mid- 
shipman who  always  acted  as  his  aid  in  battle,  "tell  Cap- 
tain Greenly  I  desire  to  see  him  as  soon  as  he  has  received 
all  the  reports." 

Down  to  the  moment  when  the  first  tap  of  the  drum  was 
heard,  the  Plantagenet  had  presented  a  scene  of  singular 
quiet  and  unconcern,  considering  the  circumstances  in  which 
she  was  placed.     A  landsman  v/ould  scarcely  credit  that 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  363 

men  could  be  so  near  their  enemies,  and  display  so  much 
indifference  to  their  vicinity ;  but  this  was  the  result  of  long 
habit,  and  a  certain  marine  instinct  that  tells  the  sailor  when 
anything  serious  is  in  the  wind,  and  when  not.  The  differ- 
ence in  the  force  of  the  two  fleets,  the  heavy  gale,  and  the 
weatherly  position  of  the  English,  all  conspired  to  assure  the 
crew  that  nothing  decisive  could  yet  occur.  Here  and  there 
an  officer  or  an  old  seaman  might  be  seen  glancing  through 
a  port,  to  ascertain  the  force  and  position  of  the  French; 
but,  on  the  whole,  their  fleet  excited  little  more  attention 
than  if  lying  at  anchor  in  Cherbourg.  The  breakfast  hour 
was  approaching,  and  that  important  event  monopolized  the 
principal  interest  of  the  moment.  The  officers'  boys,  in  par- 
ticular, began  to  make  their  appearance  around  the  galley, 
provided,  as  usual,  with  their  pots  and  dishes,  and,  now 
and  then,  one  cast  a  careless  glance  through  the  nearest 
opening  to  see  how  the  strangers  looked;  but  as  to  warfare, 
there  was  much  more  the  appearance  of  it  between  the  pro- 
tectors of  the  rights  of  the  different  messes,  than  betw^een 
the  two  great  belligerent  navies  themselves. 

Nor  was  the  state  of  things  materially  different  in  the 
gunroom,  or  cockpit,  or  on  the  orlops.  Most  of  the  people 
of  a  two-decked  ship  are  berthed  on  the  lower  gun-deck,  and 
the  order  to  "clear  ship"  is  more  necessary  to  a  vessel  of 
that  construction,  before  going  to  quarters  seriously,  than  to 
smaller  craft;  though  it  is  usual  in  all.  So  long  as  the  bags, 
mess-chests,  and  other  similar  appliances  were  left  in  their 
ordinary  positions,  Jack  saw  little  reason  to  derange  himself; 
and  as  reports  were  brought  below%  from  time  to  time,  re- 
specting the  approach  of  the  enemy,  and  more  especially  of 
his  being  well  to  leeward,  few  of  those  whose  duty  did  not 
call  them  on  deck  troubled  themselves  about  the  matter  at 
all.  This  habit  of  considering  his  fortune  as  attached  to 
that  of  his  ship,  and  of  regarding  himself  as  a  point  on  her 
mass,  as  we  all  look  on  ourselves  as  particles  of  the  orb  we 
accompany  in  its  revolutions,  is  sufTiciently  general  among 


364  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

mariners;  but  it  was  particularly  so  as  respects  the  sailors 
of  a  fleet  who  were  kept  so  much  at  sea,  and  who  had  been 
so  often,  with  all  sorts  of  results,  in  the  presence  of  the  ene- 
my. The  scene  that  was  passing  in  the  gunroom  at  the 
precise  moment  at  which  our  tale  has  arrived  was  so  char- 
acteristic, in  particular,  as  to  merit  a  brief  description. 

All  the  idlers  by  this  time  were  out  of  their  berths  and 
cots ;  the  signs  of  those  who  "  slept  in  the  country,"  as  it  is 
termed,  or  who  were  obliged,  for  want  of  staterooms,  to  sling 
in  the  common  apartment,  having  disappeared.  Magrath 
was  reading  a  treatise  on  medicine,  in  good  Leyden  Latin, 
by  a  lamp.  The  purser  was  endeavoring  to  decipher  his 
steward's  hieroglyphics,  favored  by  the  same  light,  and  the 
captain  of  marines  was  examining  the  lock  of  an  aged  mus- 
ket. The  third  and  fourth  lieutenants  were  helping  each 
other  to  untangle  one  of  their  Bay-of-Biscay  reckonings, 
which  had  set  both  plane  and  spherical  trigonometry  at 
defiance,  by  a  lamp  of  their  own ;  and  the  chaplain  was  hur- 
rying the  steward  and  the  boys  along  with  the  breakfast — 
his  usual  occupation  at  that  "  witching  time"  in  the  morning. 

While  things  were  in  this  state,  the  first  lieutenant,  Mr. 
Bury,  appeared  in  the  gunroom.  His  arrival  caused  one  or 
two  of  the  mess  to  glance  upward  at  him,  though  no  one 
spoke  but  the  junior  lieutenant,  who,  being  an  honorable, 
was  at  his  ease  with  every  one  on  board,  short  of  the 
captain. 

"What's  the  news  from  deck.  Bury?"  asked  this  officer,  a 
youth  of  twenty,  his  senior  being  a  man  ten  years  older. 
"Is  Mr.  de  Vervillin  thinking  of  running  away  yet?" 

"Not  he,  sir;  there's  too  much  of  the  gamecock  about 
him  for  that,^^ 

"  I'll  warrant  you  he  can  crow !  But  what  is  the  news, 
Bury?" 

"  The  news  is  that  the  old  Planter  is  as  wet  as  a  washtub, 
forward,  and  I  must  have  a  dry  jacket — do  you  hear,  there, 
Tom?     Soundings,"  turning  to  the  master,  who  just  then 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  365 

came  in  from  forward,  "  have  you  taken  a  look  out  of  doors 
this  morning?" 

"You  know  I  seldom  forget  that,  Mr.  Bury.  A  pretty 
pickle  the  ship  would  soon  be  in,  if  /  forgot  to  look  about 
me!" 

"  He  swallowed  the  deep-sea,  down  in  the  bay,"  cried  the 
honorable,  laughing,  ^'  and  goes  every  morning  at  daylight 
to  look  for  it  out  at  the  bridle-ports." 

"Well,  then.  Soundings,  what  do  you  think  of  the  third 
ship  in  the  French  line?"  continued  Bury,  disregarding  the 
levity  of  the  youth;  "did  you  ever  see  such  topmasts  as  she 
carries,  before?" 

"  I  scarce  ever  saw  a  Frenchman  without  them,  Mr.  Bury. 
You'd  have  just  such  sticks  in  this  fleet,  if  Sir  Jarvy  would 
stand  them." 

"  Ay,  but  Sir  Jarvy  wonU  stand  them.  The  captain  who 
sent  such  a  stick  up  in  his  ship  would  have  to  throw  it  over- 
board before  night.  I  never  saw  such  a  pole  in  the  air  in 
my  life!" 

"What's  the  matter  with  the  mast,  Mr.  Bury?"  put  in  Ma- 
grath,  who  kept  up  what  he  called  constant  scientific  skir- 
mishes with  the  e^der  sea-officers;  the j'umor  being  too  inex- 
perienced in  his  view  to  be  worthy  of  a  contest.  "I'll 
engage  the  spar  is  moulded  and  fashioned  agreeably  to  the 
most  approved  pheelosophical  principles;  for  in  //laf  the 
French  certainly  excel  us." 

"Who  ever  heard  of  moulding  a  spar?"  interrupted  Sound- 
ings, laughing  loudly;  "we  mould  a  ship's  frame,  doctor, 
but  we  lengthen  and  shorten,  and  scrape  andyf^  her  masts." 

"  I'm  answered  as  usual,  gentlemen,  and  voted  down,  I 
suppose  by  acclamation,  as  they  call  it  in  other  learned 
bodies.  I  would  advise  no  creature  that  has  a  reason  to  go 
to  sea;  an  instinct  being  all  that  is  needed  to  make  a  Lord 
High  Admiral  of  twenty  tails." 

"  I  should  like  Sir  Jarvy  to  hear  that^  my  man  of  books," 
cried  the  fourth,  who  had  satisfied  himself  that  a  book  was 


^66  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

not  his  own  forte — "  I  fancy  your  instinct,  doctor,  will  pre- 
vent you  from  whispering  this  in  the  vice-admiral's  ear!" 

Although  Magrath  had  a  profound  respect  for  the  com- 
mander-in-chief, he  was  averse  to  giving  in,  in  a  gunroom 
discussion.  His  answer,  therefore,  partook  of  the  feeling 
of  the  moment. 

"  Sir  Gervaise"  (he  pronounced  this  word  Jairvis),  "  Sir 
Gervaise  Oakes,  honorable  sir,"  he  said,  with  a  sneer,  "  may 
be  a  good  seaman,  but  he's  no  linguist.  Now,  there  he  was, 
ashore  among  the  dead  and  dying,  just  as  ignorant  of  the 
meaning  oijilius  nullius,  which  is  boy's  Latin,  as  if  he  had 
never  seen  a  horn-book !  Nevertheless,  gentlemen,  it  is  sci- 
ence, and  not  even  the  classics,  that  makes  the  man;  as  for 
a  creature's  getting  the  sciences  by  instinct,  I  shall  contend 
it  is  against  the  possibilities,  whereas  the  attainment  of  what 
you  call  seamanship  is  among  even  the  lesser  probabilities." 

"This  is  the  most  marine-ish  talk  I  ever  heard  from  your 
mouth,  doctor,"  interrupted  Soundings.  "How  the  devil 
can  a  man  tell  how  to  ware  ship  by  instinct,  as  you  call  it, 
if  one  may  ask  the  question?" 

"  Simply,  Soundings,  because  the  process  of  ratiocination 
is  dispensed  with.  Do  you  have  to  think  in  waring  ship, 
now? — I'll  put  it  to  your  own  honor,  for  the  answer." 

"Think! — I  should  be  a  poor  creature  for  a  master,  in- 
deed, if  much  thinking  were  wanting  in  so  simple  a  matter 
as  tacking  or  veering.  No — no — your  real  sea-dog  has  no 
occasion  for  much  thi7iki7ig^  when  he  has  his  work  before 
him." 

"That'll  just  be  it,  gentlemen! — that'll  be  just  what  I'm 
telling  ye,"  cried  the  doctor,  exulting  in  the  success  of  his 
artifice.  "'  Not  only  will  Mr.  Soundings  not  thi?ik^  when  he 
has  his  ordinary  duties  to  perform,  but  he  holds  the  process 
itself  in  merited  contempt,  ye'll  obsairve ;  and  so  my  theory 
is  established,  by  evidence  of  a  pairty  concerned;  which  is 
more  than  a  postulate  logically  requires." 

Here  Magrath  dropped  his  book,  and  laughed  with  that 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  367 

sort  of  hissing  sound  that  seems  peculiar  to  the  genus  of 
which  he  formed  a  part.  He  was  still  indulging  in  his  tri- 
umph, when  the  first  tap  of  the  drum  was  heard.  All  lis- 
tened ;  every  ear  pricking  like  that  of  a  deer  that  hears  the 
hound,  when  there  followed — "  R-r-r-ap  tap — r-r-r-ap  tap — 
r-r-r-ap  tap  a-tap-tap — rap-a-tap — a-rap-a-tap  a-rap  a-tap  a- 
tap-tap." 

"  Instinct  or  reason,  Sir  Jarvy  is  going  to  quarters,"  ex- 
claimed the  honorable.  "  I'd  no  notion  we  were  near 
enough  to  the  monsieurs  for  that  1^'' 

"  Now,"  said  Magrath,  with  a  grinning  sneer,  as  he  rose  to 
descend  to  the  cockpit,  "  there'll  may  be  arise  an  occasion 
for  a  little  learning,  when  I'll  promise  ye  all  the  science 
that  can  be  mustered  in  my  unworthy  knowledge.  Sound- 
ings, I  may  have  to  heave  the  lead  in  the  depths  of  your 
physical  formation,  in  which  case  I'll  just  endeevor  to  avoid 
the  breakers  of  ignorance." 

"Go  to  the  devil,  or  to  the  cockpit,  whichever  you  please, 
sir,"  answered  the  master;  "I've  served  in  six  general  ac- 
tions, already,  and  have  never  been  obliged  to  one  of  your 
kidney  for  so  much  as  a  bit  of  court-plaster  or  lint.  With 
me,  oakum  answers  for  one,  and  canvas  for  the  other." 

While  this  was  saying,  all  hands  were  in  motion.  The 
sea  and  marine  officers  looking  for  their  side-arms,  the  sur- 
geon carefully  collecting  his  books,  and  the  chaplain  seiz- 
ing a  dish  of  cold  beef,  that  was  hurriedly  set  upon  a  table, 
carrying  it  down  with  him  to  his  quarters,  by  way  of  taking 
it  out  of  harm's  way.  In  a  minute,  the  gun-room  was 
cleared  of  all  who  usually  dwelt  there,  and  their  places  were 
supplied  by  the  seamen  who  manned  the  three  or  four 
thirty-two's  that  were  mounted  in  the  apartment,  together 
with  their  opposites.  As  the  sea-officers,  in  particular,  ap- 
peared among  the  men,  their  faces  assumed  an  air  of  au- 
thority, and  their  voices  were  heard  calling  out  the  order  to 
"  tumble  up,"  as  they  hastened  themselves  to  their  several 
stations. 


368  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

All  this  time,  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  paced  the  poop.  Bunt- 
ing and  the  quartermaster  were  in  readiness  to  hoist  the 
new  signal,  and  Greenly  merely  waited  for  the  reports,  to 
join  the  commander-in  chief.  In  about  five  minutes  after 
the  drum  had  given  its  first  tap  these  were  completed,  and 
the  captain  ascended  to  the  poop. 

"  By  standing  on,  on  our  present  course,  Captain  Greenly," 
observed  Sir  Gervaise,  anxious  to  justify  to  himself  the 
evolution  he  contemplated,  "the  rear  of  our  line  and  the 
van  of  the  French  will  be  brought  within  fair  range  of  shot 
from  each  other,  and,  by  an  accident,  we  might  lose  a  ship; 
since  any  vessel  that  was  crippled  would  necessarily  sag 
directly  down  upon  the  enemy.  Now,  I  propose  to  keep 
away  in  the  Plantagenet,  and  just  brush  past  the  leading 
French  ships,  at  about  the  distance  the  Warspite  will  have 
to  pass,  and  so  alter  the  face  of  matters  a  little.  What  do 
you  think  would  be  the  consequence  of  such  a  manceuvre?" 

"  That  the  van  of  our  line  and  the  van  of  the  French  will 
be  brought  as  near  together  as  you  have  just  said  must 
happen  to  the  rear.  Sir  Gervaise,  in  any  case." 

"  It  does  not  require  a  mathematician  to  tell  that  much, 
sir.  You  will  keep  away,  as  soon  as  Bunting  shows  the 
signal,  and  bring  the  wind  a-beam.  Never  mind  the  braces; 
let  them  stand  fast ;  as  soon  as  we  have  passed  the  French 
admiral,  I  shall  luff  again.  This  will  cause  us  to  lose  a 
little  of  our  weatherly  position,  but  about  that  I  am  very  in- 
different.    Give  the  order,  sir — Bunting,  run  up  the  signal." 

These  commands  were  silently  obeyed,  and  presently  the 
Plantagenet  was  running  directly  in  the  troughs  of  the  seas, 
with  quite  double  her  former  velocity.  The  other  ships  an- 
swered promptly,  each  keeping  away  as  her  second  ahead 
came  down  to  the  proper  line  of  sailing,  and  all  complying 
to  the  letter  with  an  order  that  was  very  easy  of  execution. 
The  effect,  besides  giving  every  prospect  of  a  distant  en- 
gagement, was  to  straighten  the  line  to  nearly  mathematical 
precision. 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  369 

"Is  it  your  wish,  Sir  Gervaise,  that  we  should  endeavor 
to  open  our  lee  lower  ports?"  asked  Greenly.  "  Unless  we 
attempt  something  of  the  sort,  we  shall  have  nothing  heavier 
than  the  eighteens  to  depend  on,  should  Monsieur  de  Ver- 
villin  see  fit  to  begin." 

"And  will  he  be  any  better  off? — It  would  be  next  to 
madness  to  think  of  fighting  the  lower-deck  guns,  in  such 
weather,  and  we  will  keep  all  fast.  Should  the  French 
commence  the  sport,  we  shall  have  the  advantage  of  being 
to  windward;  and  the  loss  of  a  few  weather  shrouds  might 
bring  down  the  best  mast  in  their  fleet." 

Greenly  made  no  answer,  though  he  perfectly  understood 
that  the  loss  of  a  mast  would  almost  certainly  ensure  the 
loss  of  the  ship,  did  one  of  his  own  heavier  spars  go.  But 
this  was  Sir  Gervaise's  greatest  weakness  as  a  commander, 
and  he  knew  it  would  be  useless  to  attempt  persuading  him 
to  suffer  a  single  ship  under  his  order  to  pass  the  enemy 
nearer  than  he  went  himself  in  the  Plantagenet.  This  was 
what  he  called  covering  his  ships;  though  it  amounted  to 
no  more  than  putting  all  of  them  in  the  jeopardy  that  hap- 
pened to  be  unavoidable,  as  regarded  one  or  two. 

The  Comte  de  Vervillin  seemed  at  a  loss  to  understand 
this  sudden  and  extraordinary  movement  in  the  van  of  his 
enemy.  His  signals  followed,  and  his  crews  went  to  their 
guns;  but  it  was  not  an  easy  matter  for  ships  that  persevered 
in  hugging  the  wind  to  make  any  material  alterations  in 
their  relative  positions,  in  such  a  gale.  The  rate  of  sailing 
of  the  English,  however,  now  menaced  a  speedy  collision, 
if  collision  were  intended,  and  it  was  time  to  be  stirring,  in 
order  to  be  ready  for  it. 

On  the  other  hand,  all  was  quiet,  and,  seemingly,  death- 
like, in  the  English  ships.  Their  people  were  at  their 
quarters  already,  and  this  is  a  moment  of  profound  still- 
ness in  a  vessel  of  war.  The  lower  ports  being  down,  the 
portions  of  the  crews  stationed  on  those  decks  were  buried, 
as  it  might  be,  in  obscurity,  while  even  those  above  were 
24 


370  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

Still  partly  concealed  by  the  half-ports.  There  was  vir- 
tually nothing  for  the  sail-trimmers  to  do,  and  everything 
was  apparently  left  to  the  evolutions  of  the  vast  machines 
themselves,  in  which  they  floated.  Sir  Gervaise,  Greenly, 
and  the  usual  attendants  still  remained  on  the  poop,  their 
eyes  scarcely  turning  for  an  instant  from  the  fleet  of  the 
enemy. 

By  this  time  the  Plantagenet  and  Le  Temeraire  were  little 
more  than  a  mile  apart,  each  minute  lessening  this  distance. 
The  latter  ship  was  struggling  along,  her  bows  plunging 
into  the  seas  to  the  hawse-holes,  while  the  former  had  a 
swift,  easy  motion  through  the  troughs  and  along  the  sum- 
mits of  the  waves,  her  flattened  sails  aiding  in  steadying 
her  in  the  heavy  lurches  that  unavoidably  accompanied  such 
a  movement.  Still,  a  sea  would  occasionally  break  against 
her  weather  side,  sending  its  crest  upward  in  a  brilliant 
jet-d cau^  and  leaving  tons  of  water  on  the  decks.  Sir  Ger- 
vaise's  manner  had  now  lost  every  glimmering  of  excite- 
ment. When  he  spoke,  it  was  in  a  gentle,  pleasant  tone^ 
such  as  a  gentleman  might  use  in  the  society  of  women.  The 
truth  was,  all  his  energy  had  concentrated  in  the  determina- 
tion to  do  a  daring  deed ;  and,  as  is  not  unusual  with  the 
most  resolute  men,  the  nearer  he  approached  to  the  consum- 
mation of  his  purpose,  the  more  he  seemed  to  reject  all  the 
spurious  aids  of  manner. 

"  The  French  do  not  open  their  lower  ports,  Greenly," 
observed  the  vice-admiral,  dropping  the  glass  after  one  of 
his  long  looks  at  the  enemy,  "  although  they  have  the  ad- 
vantage of  being  to  leeward.  I  take  that  to  be  a  sign  they 
intend  nothing  very  serious." 

"  We  shall  know  better  five  minutes  hence.  Sir  Gervaise. 
This  ship  slides  along  like  a  London  coach." 

"His  line  is  lubberly,  after  all,  Greenly!  Look  at  those 
two  ships  astern — they  are  near  half  a  mile  to  windward  of 
the  rest  of  the  fleet,  and  at  least  half  a  mile  astern.  Hey! 
Greenly?" 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  371 

The  captain  turned  toward  the  rear  of  the  French,  and 
examined  the  positions  of  the  two  ships  mentioned  with 
sufficient  deliberation ;  but  Sir  Gervaise  dropped  his  head 
in  a  musing  manner,  and  began  to  pace  the  poop  again. 
Once  or  twice  he  stopped  to  look  at  the  rear  of  the  French 
line,  then  distant  from  him  quite  a  league,  and  as  often  did 
he  resume  his  walk. 

"  Bunting,"  said  the  vice-admiral  mildly,  "  come  this  way 
a  moment.  Our  last  signal  was  to  keep  in  the  commander- 
in-chief's  wake,  and  to  follow  his  motions?" 

"  It  was,  Sir  Gervaise.  The  old  order  to  follow  motions, 
*with  or  without  signals,'  as  one  might  say." 

"  Bend  on  the  signals  to  close  up  in  line,  as  near  as  safe, 
and  to  carry  sail  by  the  flagship." 

"  Ay,  ay.  Sir  Gervaise— we'll  have  'em  both  up  in  five 
minutes,  sir." 

The  commander-in-chief  now  even  seemed  pleased.  His 
physical  excitement  returned  a  little,  and  a  smile  struggled 
round  his  lip.  His  eyed  glanced  at  Greenly,  to  see  if  he 
were  suspected,  and  then  all  his  calmness  of  exterior  re- 
turned. In  the  mean  time  the  signals  were  made  and  an- 
swered. The  latter  circumstance  was  reported  to  Sir  Ger- 
vaise, who  cast  his  eyes  down  the  line  astern,  and  saw  that  the 
different  ships  were  already  bracing  in,  and  easing  off  their 
sheets,  in  order  to  diminish  the  spaces  between  the  differ- 
ent vessels.  As  soon  as  it  was  apparent  that  the  Carnatic 
was  drawing  ahead,  Captain  Greenly  was  told  to  lay  his 
main  and  fore  yards  nearly  square,  to  light  up  all  his  stay- 
sail sheets,  and  to  keep  away  sufficiently  to  make  everything 
draw.  Although  these  orders  occasioned  surprise,  they  were 
implicitly  obeyed. 

The  moment  of  meeting  had  now  come.  In  consequence 
of  having  kept  away  so  much,  the  Plantagenet  could  not  be 
quite  three-fourths  of  a  mile  on  the  weather-bow  of  Le 
Temeraire,  coming  up  rapidly,  and  threatening  a  semi- 
transverse  fire.     In  order  to  prevent  this,  the  French  ship 


372  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

edged  off  a  little,  giving  herself  an  easier  and  more  rapid 
movement  through  the  water,  and  bringing  her  own  broad- 
side more  fairly  to  the  shock.  This  evolution  was  followed 
by  the  two  next  ships,  a  little  prematurely,  perhaps;  but  the 
admiral,  in  Le  Foudroyant,  disdaining  to  edge  off  from  her 
enemy,  kept  her  luff.  The  ships  astern  were  governed  by 
the  course  of  their  superior.  This  change  produced  a  little 
disorder  in  the  van  of  the  French,  menacing  still  greater, 
unless  one  party  or  the  other  receded  from  the  course  taken. 
But  time  pressed,  and  the  two  fleets  were  closing  so  fast  as 
to  induce  other  thoughts. 

"There's  lubberly  work  for  you,  Greenly!"  said  Sir  Ger- 
vaise,  smiling.  "A  commander-in-chief  heading  up  with 
the  bowlines  dragged,  and  his  second  and  third  ahead — not 
to  say  fourth — running  off  with  the  wind  abeam!  Now,  if 
we  can  knock  the  Comte  off  a  couple  of  points,  in  passing, 
all  his  fellows  astern  will  follow,  and  the  Warspite  and 
Blenheim  and  Thunderer  will  slip  by  like  girls  in  a  country 
dance!  Send  Bury  down  to  the  main-deck,  with  orders  to 
be  ready  with  those  eighteens." 

Greenly  obeyed,  of  course,  and  he  began  to  think  better 
of  audacity  in  naval  warfare,  than  he  had  done  before,  that 
day.  This  was  the  usual  course  of  things  with  these  two 
officers;  one  arguing  and  deciding  according  to  the  dictates 
of  a  cool  judgment,  and  the  other  following  his  impulses 
quite  as  much  as  anything  else,  until  facts  supervened  to 
prove  that  human  things  are  as  much  controlled  by  adventi- 
tious agencies,  the  results  of  remote  and  unseen  causes,  as 
by  any  well-digested  plans  laid  at  the  moment.  In  their 
cooler  hours,  when  they  came  to  reason  on  the  past,  the 
vice-admiral  generally  consummated  his  triumphs,  by  re- 
minding his  captain  that  if  he  had  not  been  in  the  way  of 
luck,  he  never  could  have  profited  by  it;  no  bad  creed  for  a 
naval  officer  who  is  otherwise  prudent  and  vigilant. 

The  quartermasters  of  the  fleet  were  just  striking  six 
bells,  or  proclaiming  that  it  was  seven  o'clock  in  the  morn- 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  373 

ing  watch,  as  the  Plantagenet  and  Le  Temeraire  came  abeam 
of  each  other.  Both  ships  lurched  heavily  in  the  troughs 
of  the  seas,  and  both  rolled  to  windward  in  stately  majesty, 
and  yet  both  slid  through  the  brine  with  a  momentum  that 
resembled  the  imperceptible  motion  of  a  planet.  The  water 
rolled  back  from  their  black  sides  and  shining  hammock- 
cloths,  and  all  the  other  dark  panoply  that  distinguishes  a 
ship-of-war  glistened  with  the  spray;  but  no  sign  of  hos- 
tility proceeded  from  either.  The  French  admiral  made  no 
signal  to  engage,  and  Sir  Gervaise  had  reasons  of  his  own 
for  wishing  to  pass  the  enemy's  van,  if  possible,  unnoticed. 
Minute  passed  after  minute,  in  breathless  silence,  on  board 
the  Plantagenet  and  the  Carnatic,  the  latter  vessel  being 
now  but  half  a  cable's-length  astern  of  the  admiral.  Every 
eye  that  had  any  outlet  for  such  a  purpose  was  riveted  on 
the  main-deck  ports  of  Le  Temeraire  in  expectation  of  seeing 
the  fire  issue  from  her  guns.  Each  instant,  however,  les- 
sened the  chances,  as  regarded  that  particular  vessel,  which 
was  soon  out  of  the  line  of  fire  from  the  Plantagenet,  when 
the  same  scene  was  to  follow  with  the  same  result,  in  con- 
nection with  Le  Conquereur,  the  second  ship  of  the  French 
line.  Sir  Gervaise  smiled  as  he  passed  the  three  first  ships, 
seemingly  unnoticed;  but  as  he  drew  nearer  to  the  admiral 
he  felt  confident  this  impunity  must  cease. 

"  What  they  meaji  by  it  all.  Greenly,"  he  observed  to  his 
companion,  "  is  more  than  I  can  say;  but  we  will  go  nearer, 
and  try  to  find  out.  Keep  her  away  a  little  more,  sir;  keep 
her  away  half  a  point."  Greenly  was  not  disposed  to  re- 
monstrate now,  for  his  prudent  temperament  was  yielding 
to  the  excitement  of  the  moment,  just  reversing  the  traits 
of  Sir  Gervaise's  character;  the  one  losing  his  extreme  dis- 
cretion in  feeling,  as  the  other  gained  by  the  pressure  of 
circumstances.  The  helm  was  eased  a  little,  and  the  ship 
sheered  nearer  to  Le  Foudroyant. 

As  is  usual  in  all  services,  the  French  commander-in- 
chief  was  in  one  of  the  best  vessels  of  his  fleet.     Not  only 


374  THE    TWO   ADMIRALS. 

was  Le  Foudroyant  a  heavy  ship,  carrying  French  forty-twos 
below,  a  circumstance  that  made  her  rate  as  an  eighty,  but, 
like  the  Plantagenet,  she  was  one  of  the  fastest  and  most 
weatherly  vessels  of  her  class  known.  By  "hugging  the 
wind,"  this  noble  vessel  had  got,  by  this  time,  materially  to 
windward  of  her  second  and  third  ahead,  and  had  increased 
her  distance  essentially  from  her  supports  astern.  In  a 
word,  she  was  far  from  being  in  a  position  to  be  sustained 
as  she  ought  to  be,  unless  she  edged  off  herself,  a  movement 
that  no  one  on  board  her  seemed  to  contemplate. 

"He's  a  noble  fellow,  Greenly,  that  Comte  de  Vervillin!" 
murmured  Sir  Gervaise,  in  a  tone  of  admiration,  "  and  so 
have  I  always  found  him,  and  so  have  I  always  reported 
him,  too!  The  fools  about  the  Gazettes,  and  the  knaves 
about  the  offices,  may  splutter  as  they  will;  Mr.  de  Ver- 
villin would  give  them  plenty  of  occupation  were  they  here. 
I  question  if  he  mean  to  keep  off  in  the  least,  but  insists  on 
holding  every  inch  he  can  gain!" 

The  next  moment,  however,  satisfied  Sir  Gervaise  that  he 
was  mistaken  in  his  last  conjecture,  the  bows  of  the  Fou- 
droyant gradually  falling  off,  until  the  line  of  her  larboard 
guns  bore,  when  she  made  a  general  discharge  of  the  whole 
of  them,  with  the  exception  of  those  on  the  lower  deck. 
The  Plantagenets  waited  until  the  ship  rose  on  a  sea,  and 
then  they  returned  the  compliment  in  the  same  manner. 
The  Carnatic's  side  showed  a  sheet  of  flame  immediately 
after;  and  the  Achilles,  Lord  Morganic,  luffing  briskly  to 
the  wind,  so  as  to  bring  her  guns  to  bear,  followed  up  the 
game,  like  flashes  of  lightning.  All  three  of  these  ships 
had  directed  their  fire  at  the  Foudroyant,  and  the  smoke 
had  not  yet  driven  from  among  her  spars  when  Sir  Gervaise 
perceived  that  all  three  of  her  topmasts  were  hanging  to 
leeward.  At  this  sight.  Greenly  fairly  sprang  from  the 
deck,  and  gave  three  cheers.  The  men  below  caught  up  the 
cry,  even  to  those  who  were,  in  a  manner,  buried  on  the 
lower  deck,  and  presently,  spite  of  the  gale,  the  Carnatics 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  375 

were  heard  following  their  example  astern.  At  this  instant 
the  whole  French  and  English  lines  opened  their  fire,  from 
van  to  rear,  as  far  as  their  guns  would  bear,  or  the  shot  tell. 

"Now,  sir,  now  is  our  time  to  close  with  de  Vervillin!" 
exclaimed  Greenly,  the  instant  he  perceived  the  manner  in 
which  his  ship  was  crippled.  "In  our  close  order  we  might 
hope  to  make  a  thorough  wreck  of  him." 

"Not  so,  Greenly,"  returned  Sir  Gervaise  calmly.  "You 
see  he  edges  away  already,  and  will  be  down  among  his 
other  ships  in  five  minutes;  we  should  have  a  general 
action  with  twice  oar  force.  What  is  done,  is  well  done, 
and  we  will  let  it  stand.  It  is  sometJmig  to  have  dismasted 
the  enemy's  commander-in-chief;  do  you  look  to  it  that  the 
enemy  don't  do  the  same  with  ours.  I  heard  shot  rattling 
aloft,  and  everything  now  bears  a  hard  strain." 

Greenly  went  to  look  after  his  duty,  while  Sir  Gervaise 
continued  to  pace  the  poop.  The  whole  of  Le  Foudroyant's 
fire  had  been  directed  at  the  Plantagenet,  but  so  rough  was 
the  ocean  that  not  a  shot  touched  the  hull.  A  little  injury 
had  been  done  aloft,  but  nothing  that  the  ready  skill  of  the 
seamen  was  not  able  to  repair  even  in  that  rough  weather. 
The  fact  is,  most  of  the  shot  had  touched  the  waves,  and 
had  flown  off  from  their  varying  surfaces  at  every  angle  that 
offered.  One  of  the  secrets  that  Sir  Gervaise  had  taught 
his  captains  was  to  avoid  hitting  the  surface  of  the  sea,  if 
possible,  unless  that  surface  was  reasonably  smooth,  and 
the  object  intended  to  be  injured  was  near  at  hand.  Then 
the  French  admiral  received  \\iQ  first  fire — always  the  most 
destructive — of  three  fresh  vessels ;  and  his  injuries  were  in 
proportion. 

The  scene  was  now  animated,  and  not  without  a  wild 
magnificence.  The  gale  continued  as  heavy  as  ever,  and 
with  the  raging  of  the  ocean  and  the  howling  of  the  winds, 
mingled  the  roar  of  artillery,  and  the  smoky  canopy  of  bat- 
tle. Still  the  destruction  on  neither  side  bore  any  propor- 
tion to  the  grandeur  of  the  accompaniments;    the  distance 


376  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

and  the  unsteadiness  of  the  ships  preventing  much  accuracy 
of  aim.  In  that  day,  a  large  two-decked  ship  never  carried 
heavier  metal  than  an  eighteen  above  her  lower  batteries ; 
and  this  gun,  efficient  as  it  is  on  most  occasions,  does  not 
bring  with  it  the  fearful  destruction  that  attends  a  more 
modern  broadside.  There  was  a  good  deal  of  noise,  not- 
withstanding, and  some  blood  shed  in  passing;  but,  on  the 
whole,  when  the  Warspite,  the  last  of  the  English  ships, 
ceased  her  fire,  on  account  of  the  distance  of  the  enemy 
abreast  of  her,  it  would  have  been  difficult  to  tell  that  any 
vessel  but  the  Foudroyant  had  been  doing  more  than  salut- 
ing. At  this  instant  Greenly  reappeared  on  the  poop,  his 
own  ship  having  ceased  to  fire  for  several  minutes. 

"  Well,  Greenly,  the  main-deck  guns  are  at  least  scaled," 
said  Sir  Gervaise,  smiling;  "and  that  is  not  to  be  done 
over  again  for  some  time.  You  keep  everything  ready  in 
the  batteries,  I  trust?" 

"  We  are  all  ready.  Sir  Gervaise,  but  there  is  nothing  to 
be  done.  It  would  be  useless  to  waste  our  ammunition  at 
ships  quite  two  miles  under  our  lee." 

"Very  true — very  true,  sir.  But  all  the  Frenchmen  are 
not  quite  so  far  to  leeward,  Greenly,  as  you  may  see  by 
looking  ahead.  Yonder  two,  at  least,  are  not  absolutely  out 
of  harm's  w^ay!" 

Greenly  turned,  gazed  an  instant  in  the  direction  in  which 
the  commander-in-chief  pointed,  and  then  the  truth  of  what 
Sir  Gervaise  had  really  in  view  in  keeping  away  flashed  on 
his  mind,  as  it  might  be,  at  a  glance.  Without  saying  a 
word,  he  immediately  quitted  the  poop,  and,  descending  even 
to  the  lower  deck,  passed  through  the  whole  of  his  batteries, 
giving  his  orders,  and  examining  their  condition. 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  377 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

**  By  Heaven  !  it  is  a  splendid  sight  to  see 

(For  one  who  hath  no  friend  nor  brother  there) 
Their  rival  scarfs  of  mixed  embroidery — 

Their  various  arms  that  glitter  in  the  air  !  " 

Childe  Harold. 

The  little  conflict  between  the  English  ships  and  the 
head  of  the  French  line,  the  evolutions  that  had  grown  out 
of  it,  the  crippling  of  Le  Foudroyant,  and  the  continuance 
of  the  gale,  contributed  to  produce  material  changes  in  the 
relative  positions  of  the  two  fleets.  All  the  English  vessels 
kept  their  stations  with  beautiful  accuracy,  still  running  to 
the  southward  in  a  close  line  ahead,  having  the  wind  a  trifle 
abaft  the  beam,  with  their  yards  braced  in.  Under  the  cir- 
cumstances, it  needed  but  some  seven  or  eight  minutes  for 
these  ships  to  glide  a  mile  through  the  troubled  ocean,  and 
this  was  about  the  period  the  most  exposed  of  them  all  had 
been  under  the  random  and  slow  fire  that  the  state  of  the 
weather  permitted.  The  trifling  damages  sustained  were 
already  repaired,  or  in  a  way  soon  to  be  so.  On  the  other 
hand,  considerable  disorder  prevailed  among  the  French. 
Their  line  had  never  been  perfect,  extending  quite  a  league; 
a  few  of  the  leading  vessels,  or  those  near  the  commander- 
in-chief,  sustaining  each  other  as  well  as  could  be  desired, 
while  long  intervals  existed  between  the  ships  astern. 
Among  the  latter,  too,  as  has  been  stated,  some  were  much 
farther  to  windward  than  the  others ;  an  irregularity  that 
proceeded  from  a  desire  of  the  Comte  to  luff  up  as  near  as 
possible  to  the  enemy — a  desire  which,  practised  on,  nec- 
essarily threw  the  least  weatherly  vessels  to  leeward.  Thus 
the  two  ships  in  the  extreme  rear,  as  has  been  hinted  at 
already,  being  jammed  up  unusually  hard  upon  the  wind, 
had  weathered  materially  on  their  consorts,  while  their  way 
through  the  water  had  been  proportionably  less.     It  was 


378  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

these  combined  circumstances  which  brought  them  so  far 
astern  and  to  windward. 

At  the  time  Sir  Gervaise  pointed  out  their  positions  to 
Greenly  the  two  vessels  just  mentioned  were  quite  half  a 
mile  to  the  westward  of  their  nearest  consort,  and  more  than 
that  distance  to  the  southward.  When  it  is  remembered 
that  the  wdnd  was  nearly  due  west,  and  that  all  the  French 
vessels,  these  two  excepted,  were  steering  north,  the  relative 
positions  of  the  latter  will  be  understood.  Le  Foudroyant, 
too,  had  kept  away,  after  the  loss  of  her  topmasts,  until 
fairly  in  the  wake  of  the  ships  ahead  of  her,  in  her  own 
line,  and,  as  the  vessels  had  been  running  off  with  the  wind 
abeam,  for  several  minutes,  this  manoeuvre  threw  the  French 
still  farther  to  leeward.  To  make  the  matter  worse,  just  as 
the  Warspite  drew  out  of  the  range  of  shot  from  the  French, 
M.  de  Vervillin  showed  a  signal  at  the  end  of  his  gaff,  for 
his  whole  fleet  to  ware  in  succession;  an  order,  which,  while 
it  certainly  had  a  gallant  semblance,  as  it  was  bringing  his 
vessels  round  on  the  same  tack  as  his  enemy,  and  looked 
like  a  defiance,  was  singularly  adapted  to  restoring  to  the 
latter  all  the  advantage  of  the  wind  they  had  lost  by  keeping 
away.  As  it  was  necessary  to  take  room  to  execute  this 
evolution,  in  order  to  clear  the  ships  that  were  now  crowded 
in  the  van,  when  Le  Temeraire  came  to  the  wind  again  on 
the  starboard  tack  she  w-as  fully  half  a  mile  to  leeward  of 
the  admiral,  who  had  just  put  his  helm  up.  As  a  matter  of 
course,  in  order  to  form  anew,  with  the  heads  of  the  ships 
to  the  southward,  each  vessel  had  to  get  into  her  leader's 
wake,  which  would  be  virtually  throwing  the  whole  French ' 
line  again  two  miles  to  leeward  of  the  English.  Never- 
theless, the  stragglers  in  the  rear  of  the  French  continued 
to  hug  the  wind,  with  a  pertinacity  that  denoted  a  resolution 
to  have  a  brush  with  their  enemies  in  passing.  The  vessels 
were  Le  Scipion  and  La  Victoire,  each  of  seventy-four  guns. 
The  first  of  these  ships  was  commanded  by  a  young  man  of 
very  little  professional  experience,  but  of  high  court  influ- 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  379 

ence;   while  the  second  had  a  captain  who,  like  old  Parker, 
had  worked  his  way  up  to  his  present  station  through  great 
difficulties,  and  by  dint  of  hard  knocks  and  harder  work. 
Unfortunately  the  first  ranked,  and  the  humble  capitaine  de 
Jregate,  placed  by  accident  in  command  of  a  ship  of  the 
line,  did  not  dare  to  desert  a  capitaine  de  vaisseau  who  had 
a  due  for  an  elder  brother  and  called  himself  eomte.     There 
was  perhaps  a  redeeming  gallantry  in  the  spirit  which  de- 
termined the  Comte  de  Chelincourt  to  incur  the  risk  of  pass- 
ing so  near  six  vessels,  with  only  two,  that  might  throw  a 
veil  over  the  indiscretion ;    more  especially  as  his  own  fleet 
was  near  enough  to  support  him  in  the  event  of  any  dis- 
aster, and  it  was  certainly  possible  that  the  loss  of  a  ma- 
terial spar  on  board  either  of  his  foes  might  induce  the 
capture  of  the  vessel.     At  all  events,  thus  reasoned  M.  de 
Chelincourt;    who  continued  boldly  on,  with  his  larboard 
tacks  aboard,   always   hugging   the    wind,   even   after   the 
Temeraire  was  round;    and  M.  Comptant  chose  to  follow 
him  in  La  Victoire.     The  Plantagenet,  by  this  time,  being 
not  a  mile  distant  from  the  Scipio,  coming  on  with  steady 
velocity,  these  intentions  and  circumstances  created  every 
human    probability  that   she  would   soon    be  passing  her 
weather  beam  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  and,  consequently, 
that  a  cannonade  far  more  serious  than  what  had  yet  oc- 
curred must  follow.     The  few  intervening  minutes  gave  Sir 
Gervaise  time  to  throw  a  glance  around  him,  and  come  to 
his  final  decision. 

The  English  fleet  was  never  in  better  line  than  at  that 
precise  moment.  The  ships  were  as  close  to  each  other  as 
comported  with  safety,  and  everything  stood  and  drew  as  in 
the  trade-winds.  The  leading  French  vessels  were  waring 
and  increasing  their  distance  to  leeward,  and  it  would  re- 
quire an  hour  for  them  to  get  up  near  enough  to  be  at  all 
dangerous  in  such  weather,  while  all  the  rest  were  follow- 
ing, regardless  of  the  two  that  continued  their  luff.  The 
Chloe  had  already  got  round,  and,  hugging  the  wind,  was 


380  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

actually  coming  up  to  windward  of  her  own  line,  though 
under  a  press  of  canvas  that  nearly  buried  her.  The 
Active  and  Driver  were  in  their  stations,  as  usual ;  one  on 
the  weather-beam,  and  the  other  on  the  weather-bow ;  while 
the  Druid  had  got  so  near  as  to  show  her  hull,  closing  fast, 
with  square  yards. 

"That  is  either  a  very  bold  or  a  very  obstinate  fellow; 
he  who  commands  the  two  ships  ahead  of  us,"  observed 
Greenly,  as  he  stood  at  the  vice-admiral's  side,  and  just  as 
the  latter  terminated  his  survey.  "  What  object  can  he  pos- 
sibly have  in  braving  three  times  his  force  in  a  gale  like 
this?" 

"  If  it  were  an  Englishman,  Greenly,  we  should  call  him 
a  hero !  By  taking  a  mast  out  of  one  of  us,  he  might  cause 
the  loss  of  the  ship,  or  compel  us  to  engage  double  our  force. 
Do  not  blame  him,  but  help  me,  rather,  to  disappoint  him. 
Now,  listen,  and  see  all  done  immediately." 

Sir  Gervaise  then  explained  to  the  captain  what  his  in- 
tentions really  were,  first  ordering,  himself  (a  very  unusual 
course  for  one  of  his  habits),  the  first  lieutenant  to  keep  the 
ship  off  as  much  as  practicable,  without  seeming  to  wish  to 
do  so;  but,  as  the  orders  Mdll  be  explained  incidentally,  in 
the  course  of  the  narrative,  it  is  not  necessary  to  give  them 
here.  Greenly  then  went  below,  leaving  Sir  Gervaise, 
Bunting,  and  their  auxiliaries,  in  the  possession  of  the  poop. 
A  private  signal  had  been  bent  on  some  little  time,  and  it 
was  now  hoisted.  In  about  five  minutes  it  was  read,  under- 
stood, and  answered  by  all  the  ships  of  the  fleet.  Sir  Ger- 
vaise rubbed  his  hands  like  a  man  who  was  delighted,  and 
he  beckoned  to  Bury,  who  had  the  trumpet  on  the  quarter- 
deck, to  join  him  on  the  poop. 

"  Did  Captain  Greenly  let  you  into  our  plot.  Bury?"  asked 
the  vice-admiral,  in  high  good-humor,  as  soon  as  obeyed- 
"  I  saw  he  spoke  to  you  in  going  below," 

"  He  only  told  me.  Sir  Gervaise,  to  edge  down  upon  the 
Frenchmen  as  close  as  I  could,  and  this  we  are  doing,  I 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  38 1 

think,  as  fast  as  mounsheer" — Bury  was  an  Anglo-Gall ican — 
"will  at  all  like." 

"  Ah !  there  old  Parker  sheers  bravely  to  leeward !  Trust 
to  him  to  be  in  the  right  place.  The  Carnatic  went  fifty 
fathoms  out  of  the  line  at  that  one  twist.  The  Thunderer 
and  Warspite  too !  Never  was  a  signal  more  beautifully 
obeyed.  If  the  Frenchmen  don't  take  the  alarm  now,  every- 
thing will  be  to  our  minds." 

By  this  time.  Bury  began  to  understand  the  manoeuvre. 
Each  alternate  ship  of  the  English  was  sheering  fast  to  lee- 
ward, forming  a  weather  and  a  lee  line,  with  increased  in- 
tervals between  the  vessels,  while  all  of  them  were  edging 
rapidly  away,  so  as  greatly  to  near  the  enemy.  It  was  ap- 
parent now,  indeed,  that  the  Plantagenet  herself  must  pass 
within  a  hundred  fathoms  of  Le  Scipion,  and  that  in  less 
than  two  minutes.  The  delay  in  issuing  the  orders  for  this 
evolution  was  in  favor  of  its  success,  inasmuch  as  it  did 
not  give  the  enemy  time  for  deliberation.  The  Comte  de 
Chelincourt,  in  fact,  did  not  detect  it;  or,  at  least,  did  not 
foresee  the  consequences ;  though  both  were  quite  apparent 
to  the  more  experienced  capitaine  de  fregate  astern.  It  was 
too  late,  or  the  latter  would  have  signalled  his  superior  to 
put  him  on  his  guard ;  but,  as  things  were,  there  remained 
no  alternative,  apparently,  but  to  run  the  gauntlet,  and  trust 
all  to  the  chances  of  battle. 

In  a  moment  like  that  we  are  describing,  events  occur 
much  more  rapidly  than  they  can  be  related.  The  Plan- 
tagenet was  now  within  pistol-shot  of  Le  Scipion,  and  on 
her  weather  bow.  At  that  precise  instant,  when  the  bow- 
guns  on  both  sides  began  to  play,  the  Carnatic,  then  nearly 
in  a  line  with  the  enemy,  made  a  rank  sheer  to  leeward,  and 
drove  on,  opening  in  the  very  act  with  her  weather-bow 
guns.  The  Thunderer  and  Warspite  imitated  this  ma- 
noeuvre, leaving  the  Frenchman  the  cheerless  prospect  of 
being  attacked  on  both  sides.  It  is  not  to  be  concealed 
that  M.  de  Chelincourt  was  considerably  disturbed  by  this 


382  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

sudden  change  in  his  situation.  That  which,  an  instant 
before,  had  the  prospect  of  being  a  chivalrous,  but  extremely 
hazardous,  passage  in  front  of  a  formidable  enemy,  now 
began  to  assume  the  appearance  of  something  very  like  de- 
struction. It  was  too  late,  however,  to  remedy  the  evil,  and 
the  young  Comte,  as  brave  a  man  as  existed,  determined  to 
face  it  manfully.  He  had  scarcely  time  to  utter  a  few 
cheering  sentiments,  in  a  dramatic  manner,  to  those  on  the 
quarter-deck,  when  the  English  flagship  came  sweeping 
past  in  a  cloud  of  smoke  and  a  blaze  of  fire.  His  own 
broadside  was  nobly  returned,  or  as  much  of  it  as  the  weather 
permitted,  but  the  smoke  of  both  discharges  was  still  driv- 
ing between  his  masts,  when  the  dark  hamper  of  the  Car- 
natic  glided  into  the  drifting  canopy,  which  was  made  to 
whirl  back  on  the  devoted  Frenchman  in  another  torrent  of 
flame.  Three  times  was  this  fearful  assault  renewed  on  the 
Scipio,  at  intervals  of  about  a  minute,  the  iron  hurricane 
first  coming  from  to  windward,  and  then  seeming  to  be 
driven  back  from  to  leeward,  as  by  its  own  rebound,  leaving 
no  breathing  time  to  meet  it.  The  effect  was  completely  to 
silence  her  own  fire ;  for  what  between  the  power  of  the  rag- 
ing elements,  and  the  destruction  of  the  shot,  a  species  of 
wild  and  blood-fraught  confusion  took  the  place  of  system 
and  order.  Her  decks  were  covered  with  killed  and 
wounded,  among  the  latter  of  whom  was  the  Comte  de 
Chelincourt,  while  orders  were  given  and  countermanded 
in  a  way  to  render  them  useless,  if  not  incoherent.  From 
the  time  when  the  Plantagenet  fired  her  first  gun,  to  that 
when  the  Warspite  fired  her  last,  was  just  five  minutes  by 
the  watch.  It  seemed  an  hour  to  the  French,  and  but  a 
moment  to  their  enemies.  One  hundred  and  eighty-two 
men  and  boys  were  included  in  the  casualties  of  those  teem- 
ing moments  on  board  the  Scipio  alone;  and  when  that  ship 
issued  slowly  from  the  scene  of  havoc,  more  by  the  velocity 
of  her  assailants  in  passing  than  by  her  own,  the  foremast 
was  all  that  stood,  the  remainder  of  her  spars  dragging 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS,  383 

under  her  lee.  To  cut  the  last  adrift,  and  to  run  off  nearly 
before  the  wind,  in  order  to  save  the  spars  forward  and  to 
get  within  the  cover  of  her  own  fleet,  was  all  that  could 
now  be  done.  It  may  as  well  be  said  here,  that  these  two 
objects  were  effected. 

The  Plantagenet  had  received  damage  from  the  fire  of 
her  opponent.  Some  ten  or  fifteen  men  were  killed  and 
wounded;  her  main-topsail  was  split  by  a  shot,  from  clew 
to  earing;  one  of  the  quartermasters  was  carried  from  the 
poop,  literally  dragged  overboard  by  the  sinews  that  con- 
nected head  and  body ;  and  several  of  the  spars,  with  a  good 
deal  of  rigging,  required  to  be  looked  to,  on  account  of  in- 
juries. But  no  one  thought  of  these  things,  except  as  they 
were  connected  with  present  and  pressing  duties.  Sir 
Gervaise  got  a  sight  of  La  Victoire,  some  hundred  and 
twenty  fathoms  ahead,  just  as  the  roar  of  the  Carnatic's 
guns  was  rushing  upon  his  ears.  The  French  commander 
saw  and  understood  the  extreme  jeopardy  of  his  consort, 
and  he  had  already  put  his  helm  hard  up. 

"  Starboard — starboard  hard,  Bury !"  shouted  Sir  Gervaise 
from  the  poop.  ''  Damn  him,  run  him  aboard,  if  he  dare 
hold  on  long  enough  to  meet  us." 

The  lieutenant  signed  with  his  hand  that  the  order  was 
understood,  and,  the  helm  being  put  up,  the  ship  went 
whirling  off  to  leeward  on  the  summit  of  a  hill  of  foam. 
A  cheer  was  heard  struggling  in  the  tempest,  and,  glancing 
over  his  left  shoulder.  Sir  Gervaise  perceived  the  Carnatic 
shooting  out  of  the  smoke,  and,  imitating  his  own  move- 
ment, by  making  another  and  still  ranker  sheer  to  leeward. 
At  the  same  moment  she  set  her  mainsail  close-reefed,  as  if 
determined  to  outstrip  her  antagonist  and  maintain  her 
station.  None  but  a  prime  seaman  could  have  done  such  a 
thing  so  steadily  and  so  well,  in  the  midst  of  the  wild 
haste  and  confusion  of  such  a  scene.  Sir  Gervaise,  now 
not  a  hundred  yards  from  the  Carnatic,  waved  high  his  h;  t 
in  exultation  and  praise;  and  old  Parker,  alone  on  his  own 


384  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

poop,  bared  his  gray  hairs  in  acknowledgment  of  the  com- 
pliment. All  this  time  the  two  ships  drove  madly  ahead, 
while  the  crash  and  roar  of  the  battle  were  heard  astern. 

The  remaining  French  ship  was  well  and  nimbly  handled. 
As  she  came  round  she  unavoidably  sheered  toward  her 
enemies,  and  Sir  Gervaise  found  it  necessary  to  counter- 
mand his  last  order,  and  to  come  swiftly  up  to  the  wind, 
both  to  avoid  her  raking  broadside,  and  to  prevent  running 
into  his  own  consort.  But  the  Carnatic,  having  a  little 
more  room,  first  kept  off,  and  then  came  to  the  wind  again, 
as  soon  as  the  Frenchman  had  fired,  in  a  way  to  compel 
him  to  haul  up  on  the  other  tack,  or  to  fall  fairly  aboard. 
Almost  at  the  same  instant,  the  Plantagenet  closed  on  his 
weather-quarter  and  raked.  Parker  had  got  abeam,  and, 
pressing  nearer,  he  compelled  La  Victoire  to  haul  her  bow- 
lines, bringing  her  completely  between  two  fires.  Spar 
went  after  spar,  and,  being  left  with  nothing  standing  but 
the  lower  masts,  the  Plantagenet  and  Carnatic  could  not 
prevent  themselves  from  passing  their  victim,  though  each 
shortened  sail;  the  first  being  already  without  a  topsail. 
Their  places,  however,  were  immediately  supplied  by  the 
Achilles  and  the  Thunderer,  both  ships  having  hauled  down 
their  staysails  to  lessen  their  way.  As  the  Blenheim  and 
Warspite  were  quite  near  astern,  and  an  eighteen-pound 
shot  had  closed  the  earthly  career  of  the  poor  capitai?ie  de 
frdgate^  his  successor  in  command  deemed  it  prudent  to 
lower  his  ensign ;  after  a  resistance  that  in  its  duration  was 
unequal  to  the  promise  of  its  commencement.  Still  the 
ship  had  suffered  materially,  and  had  fifty  of  her  crew 
among  the  casualties.  His  submission  terminated  the 
combat. 

Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  had  now  leisure  and  opportunity  to 
look  about  him.  Most  of  the  French  ships  had  got  round; 
but,  besides  being  quite  as  far  astern,  when  they  should 
get  up  abeam,  supposing  himself  to  remain  where  he  was, 
they  would  be  at  very  long  gunshot  dead  to  leeward.     To 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  385 

remain  where  he  was,  however,  formed  no  part  of  his  plan, 
for  he  was  fully  resolved  to  maintain  all  his  advantages. 
The  great  difficulty  was  to  take  possession  of  his  prize,  the 
sea  running  so  high  as  to  render  it  questionable  if  a  boat 
would  live.  Lord  Morganic,  however,  was  just  of  an  age 
and  a  temperament  to  bring  that  question  to  a  speedy  issue. 
Being  on  the  weather-beam  of  La  Victoire,  as  her  flag  came 
down,  he  ordered  his  own  first  lieutenant  into  the  larger 
cutter,  and,  putting  half-a-dozen  marines,  with  the  proper 
crew,  into  the  boat,  it  was  soon  seen  dangling  in  the  air 
over  the  cauldron  of  the  ocean  ;  the  oars  on  end.  To  lower, 
let  go,  and  unhook,  were  the  acts  of  an  instant;  the  oars 
fell,  and  the  boat  was  swept  away  to  leeward.  A  com- 
mander's commission  depended  on  his  success,  and  Daly 
made  desperate  efforts  to  obtain  it.  The  prize  offered  a 
lee,  and  the  French,  with  a  national  benevolence,  courtesy, 
and  magnanimity  that  would  scarcely  have  been  imitated 
had  matters  been  reversed,  threw  ropes  to  their  conquerors, 
to  help  to  rescue  them  from  a  very  awkward  dilemma.  The 
men  did  succeed  in  getting  into  the  prize ;  but  the  boat,  in 
the  end,  was  stove  and  lost. 

The  appearance  of  the  red  flag  of  England,  the  symbol 
of  his  own  professional  rank,  and  worn  by  most  under  his 
own  orders,  over  the  white  ensign  of  France,  was  the  sign 
to  SirGervaise  that  the  prize-officer  was  in  possession.  He 
immediately  made  the  signal  for  the  fleet  to  follow  the 
motions  of  the  commander-in-chief.  By  this  time,  his  own 
mainsail,  close-reefed,  had  taken  the  place  of  the  torn  top- 
sail, and  the  Plantagenet  led  off  to  the  southward  again,  as 
if  nothing  unusual  had  occurred.  Daly  had  a  quarter  of  an 
hour  of  extreme  exertion  on  board  the  prize,  before  he  could 
get  her  fairly  in  motion  as  he  desired ;  but,  by  dint  of  using 
the  axe  freely,  he  cut  the  wreck  adrift,  and  soon  had  La 
Victoire  liberated  from  that  incumbrance.  The  foresail 
and  fore  and  mizzen  staysails  were  on  the  ship,  and  the 
mainsail,  close-reefed  also,  was  about  to  be  set,  to  drag  her 
25 


386  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

from  the  tnel^e  of  her  foes,  when  her  ensign  came  down. 
By  getting  the  tack  of  the  latter  aboard,  and  the  sheet  aft, 
he  would  have  all  the  canvas  set  the  gale  would  allow,  and 
to  this  all-essential  point  he  directed  his  wits.  To  ride 
down  the  main-tack  of  a  two-decked  ship,  in  a  gale  of  wind, 
or  what  fell  little  short  of  a  real  gale,  was  not  to  be  under- 
taken with  twenty  men,  the  extent  of  Daly's  command ;  and 
he  had  recourse  to  the  assistance  of  his  enemies.  A  good- 
natured,  facetious  Irishman  himself,  with  a  smattering  of 
French,  he  soon  got  forty  or  fifty  of  the  prisoners  in  a  suffi- 
cient humor  to  lend  their  aid,  and  the  sail  was  set,  though 
not  without  great  risk  of  its  splitting.  From  this  moment, 
La  Victoire  was  better  off,  as  respected  the  gale  and  keep- 
ing a  weatherly  position,  than  any  of  the  English  ships, 
inasmuch  as  she  could  carry  all  the  canvas  the  wind  per- 
mitted, while  she  was  relieved  from  the  drift  inseparable 
from  hamper  aloft.  The  effect,  indeed,  was  visible  in  the 
first  hour,  to  Daly's  great  delight  and  exultation.  At  the 
end  of  that  period,  he  found  himself  quite  a  cable's  length 
to  windward  of  the  line.  But  in  relating  this  last  particu- 
lar events  have  been  a  little  anticipated. 

Greenly,  who  had  gone  below  to  attend  to  the  batteries, 
which  were  not  worked  without  great  difficulty  in  so  heavy 
a  sea,  and  to  be  in  readiness  to  open  the  lower  ports  should 
occasion  offer,  reappeared  on  deck  just  as  the  commander- 
in-chief  showed  the  signal  for  the  ships  to  follow  his  own 
motions.  The  line  was  soon  formed,  as  mentioned,  and  ere 
long  it  became  apparent  that  the  prize  could  easily  keep  in 
her  station.  As  most  of  the  day  was  still  before  him,  Sir 
Gervaise  had  little  doubt  of  being  able  to  secure  the  latter, 
ere  night  should  come  to  render  it  indispensable. 

The  vice-admiral  and  his  captain  shook  hands  cordially 
on  the  poop,  and  the  former  pointed  out  to  the  latter,  with 
honest  exultation,  the  result  of  his  own  bold  manoeuvres. 

"We've  clipped  the  wings  of  two  of  them,"  added  Sir 
Gervaise,  "  and  have  fairly  bagged  a  third,  my  good  friend ; 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  38/ 

and,  God  willing,  when  Bluewater  joins,  there  will  not  be 
much  difficulty  with  the  remainder.  I  cannot  see  that  any 
of  our  vessels  have  suffered  much,  and  I  set  them  all  down 
as  sound.  There's  been  time  for  a  signal  of  inability,  that 
curse  to  an  admiral's  evolutions,  but  no  one  seems  disposed 
to  make  it.  If  we  really  escape  that  nuisance,  it  will  be 
the  first  instance  in  my  life!" 

"  Half-a-dozen  yards  may  be  crippled,  and  no  one  the 
worse  for  it,  in  this  heavy  weather.  Were  we  under  a  press 
of  canvas,  it  would  be  a  different  matter ;  but,  now,  so  long 
as  the  main  sticks  stand,  we  shall  probably  do  well  enough. 
I  can  find  no  injury  in  my  own  ship  that  may  not  be  reme- 
died at  sea." 

"  And  she  has  had  the  worst  of  it.  'Twas  a  decided 
thing.  Greenly,  to  engage  such  an  odds  in  a  gale;  but  we 
owe  our  success,  most  probably,  to  the  audacity  of  the 
attack.  Had  the  enemy  believed  it  possible,  it  is  probable 
he  would  have  frustrated  it.  Well,  Master  Galleygo,  I'm 
glad  to  see  you  unhurt!     What  is  your  pleasure?" 

"  Why,  Sir  Jarvy,  I've  two  opportunities,  as  a  body  might 
say,  on  the  poop,  just  now.  One  is  to  shake  hands,  as  we 
always  does  a'ter  a  brush,  you  knows,  sir,  and  to  look  a'ter 
each  other's  health ;  and  the  other  is  to  report  a  misfortin 
that  will  bear  hard  on  this  day's  dinner.  You  see.  Sir  Jarvy, 
I  had  the  dead  poultry  slung  in  a  net,  over  the  live  stock, 
to  be  out  of  harm's  way ;  well,  sir,  a  shot  cut  the  lanyard, 
and  let  all  the  chickens  down  by  the  run,  in  among  the  gun- 
room grunters;  and  as  they  never  half  feeds  them  hanimals, 
there  isn't  as  much  left  of  the  birds  as  would  make  a  meal 
for  a  sick  young  gentleman.  To  my  notion,  no  one  ought 
to  have  live  stock  but  the  commanders-in-chief." 

"To  the  devil  with  you  and  the  stock!  Give  me  a  shake 
of  the  hand,  and  back  into  your  top — how  came  you,  sir,  to 
quit  your  quarters  without  leave?" 

"  I  didn't,  Sir  Jarvy.  Seeing  how  things  was  a-going  on 
among  the  pigs,  for  our  top  hoverlooks  the  awful  scene,  I 


388  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

axed  the  young  gentleman  to  let  me  come  down  to  condole 
with  your  honor;  and  as  they  always  lets  me  do  as  I  axes 
in  such  matters,  why  down  I  come.  We  has  had  one  rattler 
in  at  our  top,  howsever,  that  came  nigh  to  clear  us  all  out 
on  it!" 

"Is  any  spar  injured?"  asked  Sir  Gervaise  quickly. 
"This  must  be  looked  to — hey!  Greenly?" 

"Not  to  signify,  your  honor;  not  to  signify.  One  of 
them  French  eighteens  aboard  the  prize  just  cocked  its  nose 
up,  as  the  ship  lurched,  and  let  fly  a  round  'un  and  a  grist 
of  grape  right  into  our  faces.  I  see'd  it  coming  and  sung 
out  *  Scaldings! '  and  'twas  well  I  did.  We  all  ducked  in 
time,  and  the  round  'un  cleared  everything,  but  a  handful  of 
the  marbles  are  planted  in  the  head  of  the  mast,  making  the 
spar  look  like  a  plum-pudding,  or  a  fellow  with  the  small- 
pox." 

"  Enough  of  this.  You  are  excused  from  returning  to  the 
top; — and.  Greenly,  beat  the  retreat.  Bunting,  show  the 
signal  for  the  retreat  from  quarters.  Let  the  ships  pipe  to 
breakfast,  if  they  will." 

This  order  affords  a  fair  picture  of  the  strange  admixture 
of  feelings  and  employments  that  characterize  the  ordinary 
life  of  a  ship.  At  one  moment,  its  inmates  find  themselves 
engaged  in  scenes  of  wild  magnificence  and  fierce  confusion, 
while  at  the  next  they  revert  to  the  most  familiar  duties  of 
humanity.  The  crews  of  the  whole  fleet  now  retired  from 
the  guns,  and  immediately  after  they  were  seated  around 
their  kids,  indulging  ravenously  in  the  food  for  which  the 
exercise  of  the  morning  had  given  keen  appetites.  Still 
there  was  something  of  the  sternness  of  battle  in  the  mer- 
riment of  this  meal,  and  the  few  jokes  that  passed  were  sea- 
soned with  a  bitterness  that  is  not  usual  among  the  light- 
hearted  followers  of  the  sea.  Here  and  there  a  messmate 
was  missed,  and  the  vacancy  produced  some  quaint  and 
even  pathetic  allusion  to  his  habits,  or  to  the  manner  in 
which  he  met  his  death ;    seamen  usually  treating  the  rav 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  389 

ages  of  this  great  enemy  of  the  race,  after  the  blow  has  been 
struck,  with  as  much  solemnity  and  even  tenderness  as  they 
regard  his  approaches  with  levity.  It  is  when  spared  them- 
selves that  they  most  regard  the  destruction  of  battle.  A 
man's  standing  in  a  ship,  too,  carries  great  weight  with  it 
at  such  times;  the  loss  of  the  quartermaster,  in  particular, 
being  much  regretted  in  the  Plantagenet.  This  man  messed 
with  a  portion  of  the  petty  officers,  a  set  of  men  altogether 
more  thoughtful  and  grave  than  the  body  of  the  crew;  and 
who  met,  when  they  assembled  around  their  mess-chest, 
that  morning,  with  a  sobriety  and  even  sternness  of  mien 
that  showed  how  much  in  the  management  of  the  vessel  had 
depended  on  their  individual  exertions.  Several  minutes 
elapsed  in  the  particular  mess  of  the  dead  man,  before  a 
word  was  spoken ;  all  eating  with  appetites  that  were  of 
proof,  but  no  one  breaking  the  silence.  At  length  an  old 
quarter-gunner,  named  Tom  Sponge,  who  generally  led  the 
discourse,  said  in  a  sort  of  half-inquiring,  half-regretting 
way: 

"I  suppose  there's  no  great  use  in  asking  why  Jack 
Glass's  spoon  is  idle  this  morning.  They  says,  them  fore- 
castle chaps,  that  they  see'd  his  body  streaming  out  over  the 
starboard  quarter,  as  if  it  had  been  the  fly  of  one  of  his  own 
ensigns.  How  was  it,  Ned?  You  was  thereaway,  and  ought 
to  know  all  about  it." 

"  To  be  sure  I  does,"  said  Ned,  who  was  Bunting's  remain- 
ing assistant.  "  I  was  there,  as  you  says,  and  see*d  as  much 
of  it  as  a  man  can  see  of  what  passes  between  a  poor  fellow 
and  a  shot,  when  they  comes  together,  and  that  not  in  a  very 
loving  manner.  It  happened  just  as  we  come  upon  the 
weather  beam  of  that  first  chap — him  as  we  winged  so  hand- 
somely among  us.  Well,  Sir  Tarvy  had  clapped  a  stopper  on 
the  signals,  seeing  as  we  had  got  fairly  into  the  smoke,  and 
Jack  and  I  was  looking  about  us  for  the  muskets,  not  know- 
ing but  a  chance  might  turn  up  to  chuck  a  little  lead  into 
some  of  the  parly-woos;    and  so  says  Jack,  says  he,  *Ned, 


390 


THE  TWO   ADMIRALS. 


you's  got  my  musket;' — (as  I  had,  sure  enough) — and  says 
he,  *Ned,  you's  got  my  musket;  but  no  matter  arter  all,  as 
they're  much  of  a  muchness.'  So  when  he'd  said  this,  he 
lets  fly ;  but  whether  he  hit  anybody,  is  more  than  I  can 
say.  If  he  did,  'twas  likely  a  Frenchman,  as  he  shot  that- 
a-way.  *Now,'  says  Jack,  says  he,  'Ned,  as  this  is  your 
musket,  you  can  load  it,  and  hand  over  mine,  and  I'll  sheet 
home  another  of  the  b — s.'  Well,  at  that  moment  the 
Frenchman  lifted  for'ard,  on  a  heavy  swell,  and  let  drive  at 
us  with  all  his  forecastle  guns,  fired  as  it  might  be  with 
one  priming " 

"  That  was  bad  gunnery,"  growled  Tom  Sponge ;  "  it  racks 
a  ship  woundily." 

"Yes,  they'se  no  judgment  in  ships,  in  general.  Well, 
them  French  twelves  are  spiteful  guns,  and  a  little  afore 
they  fired  it  seemed  to  me  I  heard  something  give  Jack  a 
rap  on  the  cheek,  that  sounded  as  if  a  fellow's  ear  was 
boxed  with  a  clap  of  thunder.  I  looked  up,  and  there  was 
Jack  streaming  out  like  the  fly  of  the  ensign,  headforemost, 
with  the  body  towing  after  it  by  strings  in  the  neck." 

"  I  thought  when  a  fellow's  head  was  shot  off,"  put  in  an- 
other quartermaster,  named  Ben  Barrel,  "  that  the  body  was 
left  in  the  ship  while  only  the  truck  went!" 

"  That  comes  of  not  seeing  them  things,  Ben,"  rejoined 
the  eye-witness.  "  A  fellow's  head  is  stayed  in  its  berth  just 
like  a  ship's  mast.  There's  for'ard  and  back-stays,  and 
shrouds,  all's  one  as  aboard  here;  the  only  difference  is  that 
the  lanyards  are  a  little  looser,  so  as  to  give  a  man  more  play 
for  his  head,  than  it  might  be  safe  to  give  to  a  mast.  When 
a  fellow  makes  a  bow,  why  he  only  comes  up  a  little  aft, 
and  bowses  on  the  forestay,  and  now  and  then  you  falls  in 
with  a  chap  that  is  stayed  altogether  too  far  for'ard,  or  who's 
got  a  list  perhaps  from  having  the  shrouds  set  up  too  taut 
to  port  or  to  starboard." 

"  That  sounds  reasonable,"  put  in  the  quarter-gunner 
gravely ;  "  I've  seen  such  droggers  myself." 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  39I 

"  If  you'd  been  on  the  poop  an  hour  or  too  ago,  you'd  ha' 
seen  more  on  it!  Now,  there's  all  our  marines,  their  back- 
stays have  had  a  fresh  pull  since  they  were  launched,  and, 
as  for  their  captain,  I'll  warrant  you,  he  had  a  luif  upon 
luff!" 

"  I've  heard  the  carpenter  overhauling  them  matters,"  re- 
marked Sam  Wad,  another  quarter-gunner,  "  and  he  chalked 
it  all  out  by  the  square  and  compass.  It  seems  reasonable, 
too." 

"  If  you'd  seen  Jack's  head  dragging  his  body  overboard, 
just  like  the  Frenchman  dragging  his  wreck  under  his  lee, 
you'd  ha'  thought  it  reasonable.  What's  a  fellow's  shoulders 
for,  but  to  give  a  spread  to  his  shrouds,  which  lead  down 
the  neck  and  are  set  up  under  the  arms  somewhere.  They 
says  a  great  deal  about  the  heart,  and  I  reckons  it's  likely 
everything  is  key'd  there." 

"  Harkee,  Ned,"  observed  a  quartermaster  who  knew  little 
more  than  the  mess  generally,  "  if  what  you  say  is  true,  why 
don't  these  shrouds  lead  straight  from  the  head  to  the 
shoulders,  instead  of  being  all  tucked  up  under  a  skin  in  the 
neck.''     Answer  me  that,  now." 

"  Who  the  devil  ever  saw  a  ship's  shrouds  that  wasn't  cat- 
harpened  in!"  exclaimed  Ned,  with  some  heat.  "A  pretty 
hand  a  wife  would  make  of  it,  in  putting  her  arms  around  a 
fellow's  neck,  if  the  rigging  spread  in  the  way  you  mean! 
Them  things  is  all  settled  accordin'  to  reason  when  a  chap's 
keel's  laid." 

This  last  argument  seemed  to  dispose  of  the  matter,  the 
discourse  gradually  turning  on  and  confining  itself  to  the 
merits  of  the  deceased. 

Sir  Gervaise  had  directed  Galleygo  to  prepare  his  break- 
fast as  soon  as  the  people  were  piped  to  their  own;  but  he 
was  still  detained  on  deck  in  consequence  of  a  movement  in 
one  of  his  vessels,  to  which  it  has  now  become  necessary 
more  particularly  to  recur. 

The  appearance  of  the  Druid  to  the  northward,  early  in 


392  THE  TWO   ADMIRALS. 

the  morning,  will  doubtless  be  remembered  by  the  reader. 
When  near  enough  to  have  it  made  out,  this  frigate  had 
shown  her  number;  after  which  she  rested  satisfied  with 
carrying  sail  much  harder  than  any  vessel  in  sight.  When 
the  fleets  engaged,  she  made  an  effort  to  set  the  fore-topsail, 
close-reefed,  but  several  of  the  critics  in  the  other  ships, 
who  occasionally  noticed  her  movements,  fancied  that  some 
accident  must  have  befallen  her,  as  the  canvas  was  soon 
taken  in,  and  she  appeared  disposed  to  remain  content  with 
the  sail  carried  when  first  seen.  As  this  ship  was  materially 
to  windward  of  the  line,  and  she  was  running  the  whole 
time  a  little  free,  her  velocity  was  much  greater  than  that  of 
the  other  vessels,  and  by  this  time  she  had  got  so  near  that 
Sir  Gervaise  observed  she  was  fairly  abeam  of  the  Plantag- 
enet,  and  a  little  to  leeward  of  the  Active.  Of  course  her 
hull,  even  to  the  bottom,  as  she  rose  on  a  sea,  was  plainly 
visible,  and  such  of  her  people  as  were  in  the  tops  and  rig- 
ging could  be  easily  distinguished  by  the  naked  eye. 

"  The  Druid  must  have  some  communication  for  us  from 
the  other  division  of  the  fleet,"  observed  the  vice-admiral  to 
his  signal-officer,  as  they  stood  watching  the  movements  of 
the  frigate;  "it  is  a  little  extraordinary  Blewet  does  not 
signal !  Look  at  the  book,  and  find  me  a  question  to  put 
that  will  ask  his  errand?" 

Bunting  was  in  the  act  of  turning  over  the  leaves  of  his 
little  vocabulary  of  questions  and  answers,  when  three  or 
four  dark  balls,  that  Sir  Gervaise,  by  the  aid  of  the  glass, 
saw  suspended  between  the  frigate's  masts,  opened  into  flags, 
effectually  proving  that  Blewet  was  not  absolutely  asleep. 

"  Four  hundred  and  sixteen,  ordinary  communication," 
observed  the  vice-admiral,  with  his  eye  still  at  the  glass. 
"  Look  up  that,  Bunting,  and  let  us  know  what  it  means." 

"*The  commander-in-chief — wish  to  speak  him! '"  read 
Bunting,  in  the  customary  formal  manner  in  which  he  an- 
nounced the  purport  of  a  signal. 

"Very  well — answer;  then  make  the  Druid's  number  to 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  393 

come  within  hail !  The  fellow  has  got  cloth  enough  spread 
to  travel  two  feet  to  our  one;  let  him  edge  away  and  come 
under  our  lee.      Speaking  will  be  rather  close  work  to-day." 

"  I  doubt  if  a  ship  ca7i  come  near  enough  to  make  herself 
heard,"  returned  the  other,  *'  though  the  second  lieutenant 
of  that  ship  never  uses  a  trumpet  in  the  heaviest  weather, 
they  tell  me,  sir.  Our  gents  say  his  father  was  a  town-crier, 
and  that  he  has  inherited  the  family  estate." 

"  Ay,  our  gents  are  a  set  of  saucy  fellows,  as  is  usually 
the  case  when  there  isn't  work  enough  aboard." 

"  You  should  make  a  little  allowance,  Sir  Gervaise,  for 
being  in  the  ship  of  a  successful  commander-in-chief.  That 
makes  us  all  carry  weather-helms  among  the  other  messes," 

"Up  with  your  signal,  sir;  up  with  your  signal.  I  shall 
be  obliged  to  order  Greenly  to  put  you  upon  watch-and- 
watch  for  a  month,  in  order  to  bring  you  down  to  the  old 
level  of  manners." 

"  Signal  answered,  already,  Sir  Gervaise.  By  the  way, 
sir,  I'll  thank  you  to  request  Captain  Greenly  to  give  me 
another  quartermaster.  It's  nimble  work  for  us  when  there 
is  anything  serious  to  do." 

"You  shall  have  him,  Bunting,"  returned  the  vice-admi- 
ral, a  shade  passing  over  his  face  for  the  moment.  "  I  had 
missed  poor  Jack  Glass,  and  from  seeing  a  spot  of  blood  on 
the  poop  guessed  his  fate.  I  fancied,  indeed,  I  heard  a 
shot  strike  something  behind  me." 

"  It  struck  the  poor  fellow's  head,  sir,  and  made  a  noise 
as  if  a  butcher  were  felling  an  ox." 

"  Well — well — let  us  try  to  forget  it,  until  something  can 
be  done  for  his  son,  who  is  one  of  the  side  boys.  Ah! 
there's  Blewet  keeping  away  in  earnest.  How  the  deuce  he 
is  to  speak  us,  however,  is  more  than  I  can  tell." 

Sir  Gervaise  now  sent  a  message  to  his  captain  to  say  that 
he  desired  his  presence.  Greenly  soon  appeared,  and  was 
made  acquainted  with  the  intention  of  the  Druid,  as  well  as 
with  the  purport  of  the  last  signals.     By  this  time,  the  rent 


394  '*'KE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

main-topsail  was  mended,  and  the  captain  suggested  it 
should  be  set  again,  close-reefed,  as  before,  and  that  the 
mainsail  should  be  taken  in.  This  would  lessen  the  Plan- 
tagenet's  way,  which  ship  was  sensibly  drawing  ahead  of 
her  consorts.  Sir  Gervaise  assenting,  the  change  was  made, 
and  the  effects  were  soon  apparent,  not  only  in  the  move- 
ment of  the  ship,  but  in  her  greater  ease  and  steadiness  of 
motion. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  Druid  was  within  a  hundred 
fathoms  of  the  flagship,  on  her  weather-quarter,  shoving  the 
brine  before  her  in  a  way  to  denote  a  fearful  momentum.  It 
was  evidently  the  intention  of  Captain  Blewet  to  cross  the 
Plantagenet's  stern,  and  to  luff  up  under  her  lee  quarter;  the 
safest  point  at  which  he  could  approach,  in  so  heavy  a  swell, 
provided  it  were  done  with  discretion.  Captain  Blewet  had 
a  reputation  for  handling  his  frigate  like  a  boat,  and  the 
occasion  was  one  which  would  be  likely  to  awaken  all  his 
desire  to  sustain  the  character  he  had  already  earned.  Still 
no  one  could  imagine  how  he  was  to  come  near  enough  to 
make  a  communication  of  any  length.  The  stentorian  lungs 
of  the  second  lieutenant,  however,  might  effect  it;  and,  as 
the  news  of  the  expected  hail  passed  through  the  ship,  many 
who  had  remained  below,  in  apathy,  while  the  enemy  was 
close  under  their  lee,  came  on  deck,  curious  to  witness  what 
was  about  to  pass. 

"Hey!  Atwood?"  exclaimed  Sir  Gervaise,  for  the  little 
excitement  had  brought  the  secretary  up  from  the  comman- 
der-in-chief's cabin  ; — "  what  is  Blewet  at!  The  fellow  can- 
not mean  to  set  a  studding-sail !" 

"  He  is  running  out  a  boom,  nevertheless,  Sir  Gervaise, 
or  my  thirty  years'  experience  of  nautical  things  have  been 
thrown  away." 

"  He  is  truly  rigging  out  his  weather  fore-topmast  stud- 
dingsail-boom,  sir!"  added  Greenly,  in  a  tone  of  wonder. 

"  It  is  out,"  rejoined  the  vice-admiral,  as  one  would  give 
emphasis  to  the  report  of  a  calamity.    "  Hey ! — what?     Isn't 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  395 

that  a  man  they're  running  up  to  the  end  of  it,  Bunting? 
Level  your  glass,  and  let  us  know  at  once." 

"A  glass  is  not  necessary  to  make  out  that  much,  Sir 
Gervaise.  It  is  a  man,  beyond  a  doubt,  and  there  he  hangs 
at  the  boom-end,  as  if  sentenced  by  a  general  court-martial." 

Sir  Gervaise  now  suppressed  every  expression  of  surprise, 
and  his  reserve  w^as  imitated,  quite  as  a  matter  of  course,  by 
the  twenty  officers,  who,  by  this  time,  had  assembled  on  the 
poop.  The  Druid,  keeping  away,  approached  rapidly,  and 
had  soon  crossed  the  flagship's  wake.  Here  she  came  by 
the  wind,  and  favored  by  the  momentum  with  which  she  had 
come  down,  and  the  addition  of  the  mainsail,  drew  heavily 
but  steadily  up  on  her  lee-quarter.  Both  vessels  being 
close-hauled,  it  was  not  difficult  steering;  and  by  watching 
the  helms  closely  it  would  have  been  possible,  perhaps, 
notwithstanding  the  heavy  sea,  to  have  brought  the  two  hulls 
within  ten  yards  of  each  other,  and  no  harm  should  come  of 
it.  This  was  nearer,  however,  than  it  was  necessary  to  ap- 
proach; the  studding-sail-boom,  with  the  man  suspended  on 
the  end  of  it,  projecting  twice  that  distance  beyond  the  ves- 
sel's bows.  Still  it  was  nice  work;  and  while  yet  some 
thirty  or  forty  feet  from  the  perpendicular  the  man  on  the 
boom-end  made  a  sign  for  attention,  swung  a  coil  of  line  he 
held,  and  when  he  saw  hands  raised  to  catch  it  he  made  a 
cast.  A  lieutenant  caught  the  rope,  and  instantly  hauled  in 
the  slack.  As  the  object  was  now  understood,  a  dozen  oth- 
ers laid  hold  of  the  line,  and,  at  a  common  signal,  when 
those  on  board  the  Plantagenet  hauled  in  strongly,  the  peo- 
ple of  the  Druid  lowered  away.  By  this  simple,  but  united 
movement,  the  man  descended  obliquely,  leaping  out  of  the 
bowline  in  which  he  had  sat,  and  casting  the  whip  adrift. 
Shaking  himself  to  gain  his  footing,  he  raised  his  cap  and 
bowed  to  Sir  Gervaise,  who  now  saw  Wycherly  Wychecombe 
on  his  poop. 


39^  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 

*'  Yet  weep  not  thou — the  struggle  is  not  o'er, 
O  victors  of  Phillippi  !  many  a  field 
Hath  yielded  palms  to  us:— one  effort  more, 
By  one  stern  conflict  must  our  fate  be  sealed." 

Mrs.  Hemans. 

As  soon  as  the  people  of  the  Plantagenet,  who  had  so  far 
trespassed  on  discipline,  when  they  perceived  a  man  hang- 
ing at  the  end  of  the  studdingsail-boom,  as  to  appear  in  the 
rigging,  on  the  booms,  and  on  the  guns,  to  watch  the  result, 
saw  the  stranger  safely  landed  on  the  poop,  they  lifted  their 
hats  and  caps,  and,  as  one  voice,  greeted  him  with  three 
cheers.  The  officers  smiled  at  this  outbreak  of  feeling,  and 
the  violation  of  usage  was  forgotten ;  the  rigid  discipline  of 
a  man-of-war,  even,  giving  way  occasionally  to  the  sudden 
impulses  of  natural  feeling. 

As  the  Druid  approached  the  flagship.  Captain  Blewet  had 
appeared  in  her  weather  mizzen-rigging,  conning  his  vessel 
in  person;  and  the  order  to  luff,  or  keep  off,  had  been  given 
by  his  own  voice,  or  by  a  gesture  of  his  own  hand.  As 
soon  as  he  saw  Wycherly's  feet  on  the  poop  of  the  Planta- 
genet, and  his  active  form  freed  from  the  double-bowline  in 
which  it  had  been  seated,  the  captain  made  a  wide  sweep  of 
the  arm,  to  denote  his  desire  to  edge  away;  the  helm  of  the 
frigate  was  borne  up  hard,  and,  as  the  two-decker  surged 
ahead  on  the  bosom  of  a  sea,  the  Druid's  bows  were  knocked 
off  to  leeward,  leaving  a  space  of  about  a  hundred  feet,  or 
more,  between  the  two  ships,  as  it  might  be,  in  an  instant. 
The  same  causes  continuing  to  operate,  the  Plantagenet 
drove  still  farther  ahead,  while  the  frigate  soon  came  to  the 
wind  again,  a  cable's  length  to  leeward,  and  abreast  of  the 
space  between  the  admiral  and  his  second,  astern.  Here, 
Captain  Blewet  seemed  disposed  to  wait  for  further  orders. 

Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  was  not  accustomed  to  betray  any  sur- 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  39/ 

prise  he  might  feel  at  little  events  that  occurred  on  duty. 
He  returned  the  bow  of  Wycherly  coolly,  and  then,  without 
question  or  play  of  feature,  turned  his  eyes  on  the  further 
movements  of  the  Druid.  Satisfied  that  all  was  right  with 
the  frigate,  he  directed  the  messenger  to  follow  him,  and 
went  below  himself,  leaving  Wycherly  to  obey  as  fast  as  the 
many  inquiries  he  had  to  answer  as  he  descended  the  lad- 
ders would  allow.  Atwood,  an  interested  observer  of  what 
had  passed,  noted  that  Captain  Greenly,  of  all  present,  was 
the  only  person  who  seemed  indifferent  to  the  nature  of  the 
communication  the  stranger  might  bring,  though  perhaps  the 
only  one  entitled  by  rank  to  put  an  interrogatory. 

"  You  have  come  aboard  of  us  in  a  novel  and  extraordi- 
nary mode.  Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe!"  observed  the  vice- 
admiral,  a  little  severely,  as  soon  as  he  found  himself  in  his 
own  cabin,  alone  with  the  lieutenant. 

"  It  was  the  plan  of  Captain  Blewet,  sir,  and  was  really 
the  only  one  that  seemed  likely  to  succeed,  for  a  boat  could 
scarcely  live.  I  trust  the  success  of  the  experiment,  and  the 
nature  of  the  communications  I  may  bring,  will  be  thought 
sufficient  excuses  for  the  want  of  ceremony." 

"  It  is  the  first  time,  since  the  days  of  the  Conqueror,  I 
fancy,  that  an  English  vice-admiral's  ship  has  been  boarded 
so  cavalierly;  but,  as  you  say,  the  circumstances  may  justify 
the  innovation.     What  is  your  errand,  sir?" 

"This  letter,  I  presume.  Sir  Gervaise,  will  explain 
itself.  I  have  little  to  say  in  addition,  except  to  report 
that  the  Druid  has  sprung  her  foremast  in  carrying  sail 
so  close  with  you,  and  that  we  have  not  lost  a  moment 
since  Admiral  Bluewater  ordered  us  to  part  company  with 
himself." 

"You  sailed  on  board  the  Caesar,  then?"  asked  Sir  Ger- 
vaise, a  great  deal  mollified  by  the  zeal  for  service  in  a 
youth  situated  ashore  as  he  knew  Wycherly  to  be.  "  You 
left  her,  with  this  letter?" 

"  I  did,  Sir  Gervaise,  at  Admiral  Bluewater's  command." 


398  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

"  Did  you  go  aboard  the  Druid  boom-fashion,  or  was  that 
peculiar  style  reserved  for  the  commander-in-chief?" 

"  I  left  the  Caesar  in  a  boat,  Sir  Gervaise;  and  though  we 
were  much  nearer  in  with  the  coast,  where  the  wind  has  not 
the  rake  it  has  here,  and  the  strength  of  the  gale  had  not 
then  come,  we  were  nearly  swamped." 

"If  a  true  Virginian,  you  would  not  have  drowned, 
Wychecombe,"  answered  the  vice-admiral,  in  better  humor. 
"  You  Americans  swim  like  cork.  Excuse  me,  while  I  read 
what  Admiral  Bluewater  has  to  say." 

Sir  Gervaise  had  received  Wycherly  in  the  great  cabin, 
standing  at  the  table  which  was  lashed  in  its  centre.  He 
would  have  been  puzzled  himself,  perhaps,  to  have  given 
the  real  reason  why  he  motioned  to  the  young  man  to  take  a 
chair,  while  he  went  into  what  he  called  his  ''drawing- 
room";  or  the  beautiful  little  apartment  between  the  two 
staterooms,  aft,  which  was  fitted  with  an  elegance  that  might 
have  been  admired  in  a  more  permanent  dwelling,  and 
whither  he  always  withdrew  when  disposed  to  reflection. 
It  was  probably  connected,  however,  with  a  latent  appre- 
hension of  the  rear-admiral's  political  bias,  for,  when  by 
himself,  he  paused  fully  a  minute  before  he  opened  the  let- 
ter. Condemning  this  hesitation  as  unmanly,  he  broke  the 
seal,  however,  and  read  the  contents  of  a  letter,  which  was 
couched  in  the  following  terms: 

"  My  dear  Oakes  :  Since  we  parted,  my  mind  has  under- 
gone some  violent  misgivings  as  to  the  course  duty  requires 
of  me,  in  this  great  crisis.  One  hand — one  heart — one 
voice  even,  may  decide  the  fate  of  England!  In  such  cir- 
cumstances, all  should  listen  to  the  voice  of  conscience,  and 
endeavor  to  foresee  the  consequences  of  their  own  acts. 
Confidential  agents  are  in  the  west  of  England,  and  one  of 
them  I  have  seen.  By  his  communications  I  find  more  de- 
pends on  myself  than  I  could  have  imagined,  and  more  on 
the  movements  of  M.  de  Vervillin.     Do  not  be  too  sanguine 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  399 

— take  time  for  your  own  decisions,  and  grant  me  time ;  for 

I  feel  like  a  wretch  whose  fate  must  soon  be  sealed.     On 

no  account  engage,  because  you  think  this  division  near 

enough  to  sustain  you,  but  at  least  keep  off  until  you  hear 

from  me  more  positively,  or  we  can  meet.     I  find  it  equally 

hard  to  strike  a  blow  against  my  rightful  prince,  or  to  desert 

my  friend.     For  God's  sake  act  prudently,  and  depend  on 

seeing  me  in  the  course  of  the  next  twenty-four  hours.     I 

shall  keep  well  to  the  eastward,  in  the  hope  of  falling  in 

with  you,  as  I  feel  satisfied  de  Vervillin  has  nothing  to  do 

very  far  west.     I   may  send  some  verbal  message  by  the 

bearer,  for  my  thoughts  come  sluggishly,  and  with  great 

reluctance. 

"  Ever  yours, 

"Richard  Bluewater." 

Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  read  this  letter  twice  with  great  delib- 
eration ;  then  he  crushed  it  in  his  hand,  as  one  would  stran- 
gle a  deadly  serpent.  Not  satisfied  with  this  manifestation 
of  distaste,  he  tore  the  letter  into  pieces  so  small  as  to  ren- 
der it  impossible  to  imagine  its  contents,  opened  a  cabin- 
window,  and  threw  the  fragments  into  the  ocean.  When  he 
fancied  that  every  sign  of  his  friend's  weakness  had  thus 
been  destroyed,  he  began  to  pace  the  cabin  in  his  usual 
manner.  Wycherly  heard  his  step,  and  wondered  at  the 
delay ;  but  his  duty  compelled  him  to  pass  an  uncomforta- 
ble half-hour  in  silence,  ere  the  door  opened,  and  Sir  Ger- 
vaise appeared.  The  latter  had  suppressed  the  signs  of  dis- 
tress, though  the  lieutenant  could  perceive  he  was  unusually 
anxious. 

"Did  the  rear-admiral  send  any  message.  Sir  Wycherly?" 
inquired  Sir  Gervaise;  "in  his  letter  he  would  seem  to 
refer  me  to  some  verbal  explanations  from  yourself." 

"  I  am  ashamed  to  say,  sir,  none  that  I  can  render  very 
intelligible.  Admiral  Bluewater,  certainly,  did  make  a  few 
communications  that  I  was  to  repeat,   but  when  we  had 


400  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

parted,  by  some  extraordinary  dulness  of  my  own,  I  fear,  I 
find  it  is  out  of  my  power  to  give  them  any  very  great  dis- 
tinctness or  connection." 

*'  Perhaps  the  fault  is  less  your  own,  sir,  than  his.  Blue- 
water  is  addicted  to  fits  of  absence  of  mind,  and  then  he  has 
no  reason  to  complain  that  others  do  not  understand  him, 
for  he  does  not  always  understand  himself." 

Sir  Gervaise  said  this  with  a  little  glee,  delighted  at  find- 
ing his  friend  had  not  committed  himself  to  his  messenger. 
The  latter,  however,  was  less  disposed  to  excuse  himself  by 
such  a  process,  inasmuch  as  he  felt  certain  that  the  rear- 
admiral's  feelings  were  in  the  matter  he  communicated,  let 
the  manner  have  been  what  it  might. 

"  I  do  not  think  we  can  attribute  anything  to  Admiral 
Bluewater's  absence  of  mind,  on  this  occasion,  sir,"  an- 
swered Wycherly,  with  generous  frankness.  "  His  feelings 
appeared  to  be  strongly  enlisted  in  what  he  said.  It  might 
have  been  owing  to  the  strength  of  these  feelings  that  he 
was  a  little  obscure,  but  it  could  not  have  been  owing  to 
indifference." 

"  I  shall  best  understand  the  matter,  then,  by  hearing  what 
he  did  say,  sir." 

Wycherly  paused,  and  endeavored  to  recall  what  had 
passed,  in  a  way  to  make  it  intelligible. 

"  I  was  frequently  told  to  caution  you  not  to  engage  the 
French,  sir,  until  the  other  division  had  closed,  and  was 
ready  to  assist.  But,  really,  whether  this  was  owing  to 
some  secret  information  that  the  rear-admiral  had  obtained, 
or  to  a  natural  desire  to  have  a  share  in  the  battle,  is  more 
than  I  can  say." 

"  Each  may  have  had  its  influence.  Was  any  allusion 
made  to  secret  intelligence,  that  you  name  it?" 

"  I  never  felt  more  cause  to  be  ashamed  of  my  own  dul- 
ness than  at  this  present  moment.  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes,"  ex- 
claimed Wycherly,  who  almost  writhed  under  the  awkward- 
ness of  his  situation;  for  he  really  began  to  suspect  that  his 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  4OI 

own  personal  grounds  of  unhappiness  had  induced  him  to 
forget  some  material  part  of  his  message;  "recent  events 
ashore  had  perhaps  disqualified  me  for  this  duty." 

"  It  is  natural  it  should  be  so,  my  young  friend ;  and  as 
I  am  acquainted  with  them  all,  you  can  rest  satisfied  with 
my  indulgence." 

"  All !  no — Sir  Gervaise,  you  know  not  half — but  I  forget 
myself,  sir,  and  beg  your  pardon." 

"I  have  no  wish  to  pry  into  your  secrets.  Sir  Wycherly 
Wychecombe,  and  we  will  drop  the  subject.  You  may  say, 
however,  if  the  rear-admiral  was  in  good  spirits — as  an 
English  seaman  is  apt  to  be,  with  the  prospect  of  a  great 
battle  before  him." 

"  I  thought  not.  Sir  Gervaise.  Admiral  Bluewater  to  me 
seemed  sad,  if  I  may  presume  to  mention  it — almost  to 
tears,  I  thought,  sir,  once  or  twice." 

"Poor  Dick!"  mentally  ejaculated  the  vice-admiral ;  "he 
never  could  have  made  up  his  mind  to  desert  nie  without 
great  anguish  of  soul.  Was  there  anything  said,"  speaking 
aloud,  "about  the  fleet  of  M.  de  Vervillin?" 

"Certainly  a  good  deal,  sir;  and  yet  am  I  ashamed  to 
say,  I  scarce  know  what!  Admiral  Bluewater  appeared  to 
think  the  Comte  de  Vervillin  had  no  intention  to  strike  a 
blow  at  any  of  our  colonies,  and  with  this  he  seemed  to 
connect  the  idea  that  there  would  be  less  necessity  for  our 
engaging  him.  At  all  events,  I  cannot  be  mistaken  in  his 
wish  that  you  would  keep  off,  sir,  until  he  could  close." 

"  Ay,  and  you  see  how  instinctively  I  have  answered  to 
his  wishes!"  said  Sir  Gervaise,  smiling  a  little  bitterly. 
"  Nevertheless,  had  the  rear  of  the  fleet  been  up  this  morn- 
ing. Sir  Wycherly,  it  might  have  been  a  glorious  day  for 
England!" 

"  It  has  been  a  glorious  day,  as  it  is,  sir.  We,  in  the 
Druid,  saw  it  all;  and  there  was  not  one  among  us  that  did 
not  exult  in  the  name  of  Englishman !" 

"What,  even  to  the  Virginian,  Wychecombe!"  rejoined 
26 


402  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

Sir  Gervaise,  greatly  gratified  with  the  natural  commenda- 
tion conveyed  in  the  manner  and  words  of  the  other,  and 
looking  in  a  smiling,  friendly  manner,  at  the  young  man. 
"I  was  afraid  the  hits  you  got  in  Devonshire  might  have 
induced  you  to  separate  your  nationality  from  that  of  old 
England." 

"  Even  to  the  Virginian,  Sir  Gervaise.  You  have  been  in 
the  colonies,  sir,  and  must  know  we  do  not  merit  all  that  we 
sometimes  receive,  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic.  The  king 
has  no  subjects  more  loyal  than  those  of  America." 

"  I  am  fully  aware  of  it,  my  noble  lad,  and  have  told  the 
king  as  much,  with  my  own  mouth.  But  think  no  more  of 
this.  If  your  old  uncle  did  give  you  an  occasional  speci- 
men of  true  John  BuUism,  he  has  left  you  an  honorable  title 
and  a  valuable  estate.  I  shall  see  that  Greenly  finds  a  berth 
for  you,  and  you  will  consent  to  mess  with  me,  I  hope.  I 
trust  some  time  to  see  you  at  Bowldero.  At  present  we  will 
go  on  deck;  and  if  anything  that  Admiral  Bluewater  has 
said  should  recur  to  your  mind  more  distinctly,  you  will  not 
forget  to  let  me  know  it." 

Wycherly  now  bowed  and  left  the  cabin,  while  Sir  Ger- 
vaise sat  down  and  wrote  a  note  to  Greenly  to  request  that 
he  would  look  a  little  after  the  comfort  of  the  young  man. 
The  latter  then  went  on  deck,  in  person.  Although  he  en- 
deavored to  shake  off  the  painful  doubts  that  beset  him,  and 
to  appear  as  cheerful  as  became  an  officer  who  had  just  per- 
formed a  brilliant  exploit,  the  vice-admiral  found  it  difficult 
to  conceal  the  shock  he  had  received  from  Blue  water's  com- 
munication. Certain  as  he  felt  of  striking  a  decisive  blow 
at  the  enemy,  could  he  be  reinforced  with  the  five  ships  of 
the  rear  division,  he  would  cheerfully  forego  the  triumph  of 
such  additional  success,  to  be  certain  his  friend  did  not 
intend  to  carry  his  disaffection  to  overt  acts.  He  found  it 
hard  to  believe  that  a  man  like  Bluewater  could  really  con- 
template carrying  off  with  him  the  ships  he  commanded; 
yet  he  knew  the  authority  his  friend  wielded  over  his  cap- 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  4O3 

tains,  and  the  possibility  of  such  a  step  would  painfully 
obtrude  itself  on  his  mind,  at  moments.  "When  a  man  can 
persuade  himself  into  all  the  nonsense  connected  with  the 
jus  divi7ium^^''  thought  Sir  Gervaise,  "  it  is  doing  no  great 
violence  to  common  sense  to  persuade  himself  into  all  its 
usually  admitted  consequences."  Then,  again,  would  inter- 
pose his  recollections  of  Bluewater's  integrity  and  simplicity 
of  character,  to  reassure  him,  and  give  him  more  cheering 
hopes  for  the  result.  Finding  himself  thus  vacillating  be- 
tween hope  and  dread,  the  commander-in-chief  determined 
to  drive  the  matter  temporarily  from  his  mind,  by  bestowing 
his  attention  on  the  part  of  the  fleet  he  had  with  him.  Just 
as  this  wise  resolution  was  formed,  both  Greenly  and  Wych- 
erly  appeared  on  the  poop. 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  you  with  a  hungry  look.  Greenly," 
cried  Sir  Gervaise  cheerfully ;  ''  here  has  Galleygo  just  been 
to  report  his  breakfast,  and,  as  I  know  your  cabin  has  not 
been  put  in  order  since  the  people  left  the  guns,  I  hope  for 
the  pleasure  of  your  company.  Sir  Wycherly,  my  gallant 
young  Virginian,  here,  will  take  the  third  chair,  I  trust,  and 
then  our  party  will  be  complete." 

The  two  gentlemen  assenting,  the  vice-admiral  was  about 
to  lead  the  way  below,  when,  suddenly  arresting  his  foot- 
steps on  the  poop-ladder,  he  said : 

"  Did  you  not  tell  me,  Wychecombe,  that  the  Druid  had 
sprung  her  foremast?" 

"  Badly,  I  believe.  Sir  Gervaise,  in  the  hounds.  Captain 
Blewet  carried  on  his  ship  fearfully,  all  night." 

"  Ay,  he's  a  fearful  fellow  with  spars,  that  Tom  Blewet. 
I  never  felt  certain  of  finding  all  the  sticks  in  their  places, 
on  turning  out  of  a  morning,  when  he  was  with  you  as  a 
lieutenant.  Greenly.  How  many  jib-booms  and  topgallant- 
yards  did  he  cost  us,  in  that  cruise  off  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope?     By  George,  it  must  have  been  a  dozen,  at  least!" 

"Not  quite  as  bad  as  that,  Sir  Gervaise,  though  he  did 
expend  two  jib-booms  and  three  topgallant-yards,  for  me. 


404  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

Captain  Blewet  has  a  fast  ship,  and  he  wishes  people  to 
know  it.'' 

"  And  he  has  sprung  his  foremast  and  he  shall  see  /  know 
it!  Harkee,  Bunting,  make  the  Druid's  number  to  lie  by 
the  prize;  and  when  that's  answered,  tell  him  to  take  charge 
of  the  Frenchman,  and  to  wait  for  further  orders.  I'll  send 
him  to  Plymouth  to  get  a  new  foremast,  and  to  see  the 
stranger  in.  By  the  way,  does  anybody  know  the  name  of 
the  Frenchman — hey!  Greenly?" 

"  I  cannot  tell  you.  Sir  Gervaise,  though  some  of  our  gen- 
tlemen think  it  is  the  ship  that  was  the  admiral's  second 
ahead,  in  our  brush  off  Cape  Finisterre.  I  am  not  of  the 
same  opinion,  however;  for  that  vessel  had  a  billet-head, 
and  this  has  a  woman  figurehead,  that  looks  a  little  like  a 
Minerva.     The  French  have  a  La  Minerve,  I  think." 

"  Not  now.  Greenly,  if  this  be  she,  for  she  is  ours.'''*  Here 
Sir  Gervaise  laughed  heartily  at  his  own  humor,  and  all 
near  him  joined  in,  as  a  matter  of  course.  "  But  La  Minerve 
has  been  a  frigate  time  out  of  mind.  The  Goddess  of  Wis- 
dom has  never  been  fool  enough  to  get  into  line  of  battle 
when  she  has  had  it  in  her  power  to  prevent  it." 

"  We  thought  the  figurehead  of  the  prize  a  Venus,  as  we 
passed  her  in  the  Druid,"  Wycherly  modestly  observed. 

"  There  is  a  way  of  knowing,  and  it  shall  be  tried.  When 
you've  done  with  the  Druid,  Bunting,  make  the  prize's  sig- 
nal to  repeat  her  name  by  telegraph.  You  know  how  to 
make  a  prize's  number,  I  suppose,  when  she  has  none." 

"I  confess  I  do  not,  Sir  Gervaise,"  answered  Bunting, 
who  had  shown  by  his  manner  thai  he  was  at  a  loss. 
"  Having  no  number  in  our  books,  one  would  be  at  a  stand 
how  to  get  at  her,  sir." 

"  How  would  you  do  it,  young  man  V  asked  Sir  Gervaise, 
who  all  this  time  was  hanging  on  to  the  man-rope  of  the 
poop-ladder.  "Let  us  see  how  well  you've  been  taught, 
Bir." 

*'  I  believe  it  may  be  done  in  different  modes,  Sir  Ger- 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  405 

vaise,"  Wycherly  answered,  without  any  appearance  of  tri- 
umph at  his  superior  readiness,  "  but  the  simplest  I  know  is 
to  hoist  the  French  flag  under  the  English,  by  way  of  saying 
for  whom  the  signal  is  intended." 

"  Do  it,  Bunting,"  continued  Sir  Gervaise,  nodding  his 
head  as  he  descended  the  ladder,  "  and  I  warrant  you  Daly 
will  answer.  What  sort  of  work  he  will  make  with  the 
Frenchman's  flags  is  another  matter.  I  doubt,  too,  if  he 
had  the  wit  to  carry  one  of  our  books  with  him,  in  which 
case  he  will  be  at  a  loss  to  read  our  signal.  Try  him,  how- 
ever, Bunting;  an  Irishman  always  h.2iS  somethmg  to  say, 
though  it  be  a  bull." 

This  order  given.  Sir  Gervaise  descended  to  his  cabin. 
In  half  an  hour  the  party  was  seated  at  table,  as  quietly  as 
if  nothing  unusual  had  occurred  that  day. 

"  The  worst  of  these  little  brushes  which  lead  to  nothing 
is  that  they  leave  as  strong  a  smell  of  gunpowder  in  your 
cabin.  Greenly,  as  if  a  whole  fleet  had  been  destroyed," 
observed  the  vice-admiral  good-humoredly,  as  he  began  to 
help  his  guests.  "  I  hope  the  odor  we  have  here  will  not 
disturb  your  appetites,  gentlemen." 

"You  do  this  day's  success  injustice.  Sir  Gervaise,  in 
calling  it  only  a  brush,"  answered  the  captain,  who,  to  say 
the  truth,  had  fallen  to  as  heartily  upon  the  delicacies  of 
Galleygo  as  if  he  had  not  eaten  in  twenty-four  hours.  "  At 
any  rate,  it  has  brushed  the  spars  out  of  two  of  King  Louis' 
ships,  and  one  of  them  into  our  hands ;  ay,  and  in  a  certain 
sense  into  our  pockets." 

"Quite  true.  Greenly — quite  true;  but  what  would  it 
have  been  if " 

The  sudden  manner  in  which  the  commander-in-chief 
ceased  speaking  induced  his  companions  to  think  that  he 
had  met  with  some  accident  in  eating  or  drinking;  both 
looked  earnestly  at  him,  as  if  to  offer  assistance.  He  was 
pale  in  the  face,  but  he  smiled,  and  otherwise  appeared  at 
his  ease. 


406  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"It  is  over,  gentlemen,"  said  Sir  Gervaise  gently — "we'll 
think  no  more  of  it." 

"I  sincerely  hope  you've  not  been  hit,  sir?"  said  Greenly. 
"  I've  known  men  hit,  who  did  not  discover  that  they  were 
hurt  until  some  sudden  weakness  has  betrayed  it." 

"  I  believe  the  French  have  let  me  off  this  time,  my  good 
friend — yes,  I  think  Magrath  will  be  plugging  no  shot-holes 
in  my  hull  for  this  affair.  Sir  Wycherly,  those  eggs  are 
from  your  own  estate,  Galleygo  having  laid  the  manor  under 
contribution  for  all  sorts  of  good  things.  Try  them,  Greenly, 
as  coming  from  our  friend's  property." 

"  Sir  Wycherly  is  a  lucky  fellow  in  having  an  estate," 
said  the  captain.  "  Few  officers  of  his  rank  can  boast  of 
such  an  advantage;  though,  now  and  then,  an  old  one  is 
better  off." 

"  That  is  true  enough — hey !  Greenly  ?  The  army  fetches 
up  most  of  the  fortunes;  for  your  rich  fellows  like  good 
county  quarters  and  county  balls.  I  was  a  younger  brother 
when  they  sent  me  to  sea,  but  I  became  a  baronet,  and  a 
pretty  warm  one  too,  while  yet  a  reefer.  Poor  Josselin  died 
when  I  was  only  sixteen,  and  at  seventeen  they  made  me  an 
officer." 

"Ay,  and  we  like  you  all  the  better.  Sir  Gervaise,  for  not 
giving  us  up  when  the  money  came.  Now  Lord  Morganic 
was  a  captain  when  he  succeeded,  and  we  think  much  less 
of  that." 

"  Morganic  remains  in  service,  to  teach  us  how  to  stay 
topmasts  and  paint  figureheads,"  observed  Sir  Gervaise,  a 
little  drily.  "And  yet  the  fellow  handled  his  ship  well  to- 
day; making  much  better  weather  of  it  than  I  feared  he 
would  be  able  to  do." 

"I  hear  we  are  likely  to  get  another  duke  in  the  navy, 
sir;  it's  not  often  we  catch  one  of  that  high  rank." 

Sir  Gervaise  cared  much  less  for  things  of  this  sort  than 
Bluewater,  but  he  naturally  cast  a  glance  at  the  speaker,  as 
this  was  said,  as  much  as  to  ask  whom  he  meant. 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  4O7 

"They  tell  me,  sir,  that  Lord  Montresor,  the  elder  brother 
of  the  boy  in  the  Caesar,  is  in  a  bad  way,  and  Lord  Geoffrey 
stands  next  to  the  succession.  I  think  there  is  too  much 
stuff  in  him  to  quit  us  now  he  is  almost  fit  to  get  his  com- 
mission." 

"  True,  Bluewater  has  that  boy  of  high  hopes  and  promise 
with  him,  too,"  answered  Sir  Gervaise,  in  a  musing  manner, 
unconscious  of  what  he  said.  "  God  send  he  may  not  forget 
that^  among  other  things!" 

*' I  don't  think  rank  makes  any  difference  with  Admiral 
Bluewater  or  Captain  Stowel.  The  nobles  are  worked  up 
in  their  ship,  as  well  as  the  humblest  reefer  of  them  all. 
Here  is  Bunting,  sir,  to  tell  us  something." 

Sir  Gervaise  started  from  a  fit  of  abstraction,  and,  turning, 
he  saw  his  signal-officer  ready  to  report. 

"The  Druid  has  answered  properly,  Sir  Gervaise,  and 
has  already  hauled  up  so  close  that  I  think  she  will 
luff  through  the  line,  though  it  may  be  astern  of  the 
Carnatic." 

"  And  the  prize,  Bunting?  Have  you  signalled  the  prize, 
as  I  told  you  to  do?" 

"Yes,  sir;  and  she  has  answered  so  properly  that  I  make 
no  question  the  prize-officer  took  a  book  with  him.  The 
telegraphic  signal  was  answered  like  the  other." 

"  Well,  what  does  he  say?  Have  you  found  out  the  name 
of  the  Frenchman?" 

"That's  the  difficulty,  sir;  we  are  understood,  but  Mr. 
Daly  has  shown  something  aboard  the  prize  that  the  quar- 
termaster swears  is  a  paddy." 

"  A  paddy — What,  he  hasn't  had  himself  run  up  at  a  yard- 
arm  or  stun'sail-boom  end,  has  he — hey!  Wychecombe? 
Daly's  an  Irishman,  and  has  only  to  show  himself  Xo  show  a 
paddy." 

"  But  this  is  a  sort  of  an  image  of  some  kind  or  other.  Sir 
Gervaise,  and  yet  it  isn't  Mr.  Daly.  I  rather  think  he  hasn't 
the  flags  necessary  for  our  words,  and  has  rigged  out  a  sort 


408  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

of  a  woman,  to  let  us  know  his  ship's  name ;  for  she  has  a 
woman  figurehead,  you  know,  sir." 

"The  devil  he  has!  Well,  that  will  form  an  era  in  sig- 
nals. Galleygo,  look  out  at  the  cabin  window  and  let  me 
know  if  you  can  see  the  prize  from  them — well,  sir,  what's 
the  news?" 

"  I  sees  her,  Sir  Jarvy,"  answered  the  steward,  "  and  I  sees 
her  where  no  French  ship  as  sails  in  company  with  British 
vessels  has  a  right  to  be.  If  she's  a  fathom,  your  honor, 
she's  fifty  to  windward  of  our  line!  Quite  out  of  her  place, 
as  a  body  might  say,  and  onreasonable." 

"That's  owing  to  our  having  felled  the  forests  of  her 
masts,  Mr.  Galleygo;  every  spar  that  is  left  helping  to  put 
her  where  she  is.  That  prize  must  be  a  weatherly  ship, 
though,  hey!  Greenly?  She  and  her  consort  were  well  to 
windward  of  their  own  line,  or  we  could  never  have  got  'em 
as  we  did.  I'hese  Frenchmen  do  turn  off  a  weatherly  vessel 
now  and  then,  that  we  must  all  admit." 

"Yes,  Sir  Jarvy,"  put  in  Galleygo,  who  never  let  the  con- 
versation flag  when  he  was  invited  to  take  a  part  in  it; 
"  yes,  Sir  Jarvy,  and  when  they've  turned  'em  off  the  stocks 
they  turns  'em  over  to  us,  commonly,  to  sail  'em.  Building 
a  craft  is  one  piece  of  knowledge,  and  sailing  her  well  is 
another." 

"  Enough  of  your  philosophy,  sirrah ;  look  and  ascertain 
if  there  is  anything  unusual  to  be  seen  hanging  in  the  rig- 
ging of  the  prize.  Unless  you  show  more  readiness,  I'll 
send  one  of  the  Bowlderos  to  help  you." 

These  Bowlderos  were  the  servants  that  Sir  Gervaise 
brought  with  him  from  his  house,  having  been  born  on  his 
estate,  and  educated  as  domestics  in  his  own  or  his  father's 
family;  and  though  long  accustomed  to  a  man-of-war,  as 
their  ambition  never  rose  above  their  ordinary  service,  the 
steward  held  them  exceedingly  cheap.  A  severer  punish- 
ment could  not  be  offered  him  than  to  threaten  to  direct  one 
of  these  common  menials  to  do  any  duty  that,  in  the  least, 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  4O9 

pertained  to  the  profession.  The  present  menace  had  the 
desired  effect,  Galleygo  losing  no  time  in  critically  examin- 
ing the  prize's  rigging. 

"  I  calls  nothing  extr'ornary  in  a  Frenchman's  rigging,  Sir 
Jarvy,"  answered  the  steward,  as  soon  as  he  felt  sure  of  his 
fact;  "their  dockmen  have  idees  of  their  own  as  to  such 
things.  Now  there  is  sum'mat  hanging  at  the  lee  foreyard- 
arm  of  that  chap,  that  looks  as  if  it  might  be  a  topgallant- 
stun'sail  made  up  to  be  sent  aloft  and  set,  but  which  stopped 
when  it  got  as  high  as  it  is,  on  finding  out  that  there's  no 
hamper  overhead  to  spread  it  to." 

"  That's  it,  sir,"  put  in  Bunting.  "  Mr.  Daly  has  run  his 
woman  up  to  the  foreyard-arm,  like  a  pirate." 

"Woman!"  repeated  Galleygo — "do  you  call  that  'ere 
thing-um-mee  a  woman,  Mr.  Buntin'?  I  calls  it  a  bundle 
of  flags,  made  up  to  set,  if  there  was  anything  to  set  *em  to." 

"It's  nothing  but  an  Irishwoman,  Master  Galleygo,  as 
you'll  see  for  yourself,  if  you'll  level  this  glass  at  it." 

"I'll  do  that  office  myself,"  cried  Sir  Gervaise.  "Have 
you  any  curiosity,  gentlemen,  to  read  Mr.  Daly's  signal? 
Galleygo,  open  that  weather  window,  and  clear  away  the 
books  and  writing-desk,  that  we  may  have  a  look." 

The  orders  were  immediately  obeyed,  and  the  vice-admiral 
was  soon  seated  examining  the  odd  figure  that  was  certainly 
hanging  at  the  lee  foreyard-arm  of  the  prize;  a  perfect  non- 
descript as  regarded  all  nautical  experience. 

"  Hang  me,  if  I  can  make  anything  of  it.  Greenly,"  said 
Sir  Gervaise,  after  a  long  look.  '''  Do  j'ou  take  this  seat, 
and  try  your  hand  at  an  observation.  It  resembles  a  sort  of 
a  woman,  sure  enough." 

"Yes,  sir,"  observed  Bunting,  with  the  earnestness  of  a 
man  who  felt  his  reputation  involved  in  the  issue,  "  I  was 
certain  that  Mr.  Daly  has  run  up  the  figure  to  let  us  know 
the  name  of  the  prize,  and  that  for  want  of  a  telegraph-book 
to  signal  the  letters;  and  so  I  made  sure  of  what  I  was 
about,  before  I  took  the  liberty  to  come  below  and  report." 


4IO 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 


"  And  pray  what  do  you  make  of  it,  Bunting?  The  figure- 
head might  tell  us  better,  but  that  seems  to  be  imperfect." 

"  The  figurehead  has  lost  all  its  bust,  and  one  arm,  by  a 
shot,"  said  Greenly,  turning  the  glass  to  the  object  named; 
"and  I  can  tell  Mr.  Daly  that  a  part  of  the  gammoning  of 
his  bowsprit  is  gone,  too !  That  ship  requires  looking  to, 
Sir  Gervaise;  she'll  have  no  foremast  to-morrow  morning, 
if  this  wind  stand!  Another  shot  has  raked  the  lower  side 
of  her  foretop,  and  carried  away  half  the  frame.  Yes,  and 
there's  been  a  fellow  at  work,  too " 

"  Never  mind  the  shot — never  mind  the  shot,  Greenly," 
interrupted  the  vice-admiral.  "A  poor  devil  like  him 
couldn't  have  six  of  us  at  him,  at  once,  and  expect  to  go 
*  shot  free.'     Tell  us  something  of  the  woman." 

"Well,  Sir  Gervaise,  no  doubt  Daly  has  hoisted  her  as  a 
symbol.  Ay,  no  doubt  the  ship  is  the  Minerva,  after  all, 
for  there's  something  on  the  head  like  a  helmet." 

"  It  never  can  be  the  Minerva,"  said  the  vice-admiral  pos- 
itively, "  for  she^  I  feel  certain,  is  a  frigate.  Hand  me  the 
little  book  with  a  red  cover.  Bunting;  that  near  your  hand; 
it  has  a  list  of  the  enemy's  navy.  Here  it  is,  '  La  Minerve, 
32,  le  capitame  de  fregate^  Mo7idoTi.  Built  in  1733,  old  and 
dull.'  That  settles  the  Minerva,  for  this  list  is  the  last  sent 
us  by  the  admiralty." 

"Then  it  must  be  the  Pallas,"  rejoined  Greenly,  "for 
she  wears  a  helmet,  too,  and  I  am  certain  there  is  not  only 
a  cap  to  resemble  a  helmet,  but  a  Guernsey  frock  on  the 
body  to  represent  armor.  Both  Minerva  and  Pallas,  if  I 
remember  right,  wore  armor." 

"This  is  coming  nearer  to  the  point — hey!  Greenly?" 
the  vice-admiral  innocently  chimed  in ;  "  let  us  look  and  see 
if  the  Pallas  is  a  two-decker  or  not.  By  George,  there's 
no  such  name  on  the  list.  That's  odd,  now,  that  the 
French  should  have  one  of  these  goddesses  and  not  the 
other!" 

"They  never  has  anything  right,  Sir  Jarvy,"  Galleygo 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  4H 

thrust  in,  by  way  of  commentary  on  the  vice-admiral's  and 
the  captain's  classical  lore;  "and  it's  surprising  to  me  that 
they  should  have  any  goddess  at  all,  seeing  that  they  has  so 
little  respect  for  religion,  in  general." 

Wycherly  fidgeted,  but  respect  for  his  superiors  kept  him 
silent.  As  for  Bunting,  'twas  all  the  same  to  him,  his  father 
having  been  a  purser  in  the  navy,  and  he  himself  educated 
altogether  on  board  ship,  and  this,  too,  a  century  since. 

"  It  might  not  be  amiss.  Sir  Gervaise,"  observed  the  cap- 
tain, "to  work  this  rule  backward,  and  just  look  over  the  list 
until  we  find  a  two-decked  ship  that  ought  to  have  a  woman 
figurehead,  which  will  greatly  simplify  the  matter.  I've 
known  difficult  problems  solved  in  that  mode." 

The  idea  struck  Sir  Gervaise  as  a  good  one,  and  he  set 
about  the  execution  of  the  project  in  good  earnest.  Just  as 
he  came  to  L'Hecate,  64,  an  exclamation  from  Greenly 
caught  his  attention,  and  he  inquired  its  cause. 

"Look  for  yourself,  Sir  Gervaise;  unless  my  eyes  are 
good  for  nothing,  Daly  is  running  a  kedge  up  alongside  of 
his  woman." 

"  What !  a  kedge  ? — Ay,  that  is  intended  for  an  anchor,  and 
it  means  Hope.  Everybody  knows  that  Hope  carries  an 
anchor — hey!  Wychecombe?  Upon  my  word,  Daly  shows 
ingenuity.  Look  for  the  Hope,  in  that  list.  Bunting — you 
will  find  the  English  names  printed  first,  in  the  end  of  the 
book." 

"*The  Hope,  or  L'Esperance,'"  read  the  signal-officer; 
"*36,  lee  capita7ig  dee  frigate  dee  Courtraii.^  " 

"A  single-decked  ship  after  all!  This  affair  is  as  bad 
as  the  d — d  niiUus,  ashore,  there.  I'll  not  be  beaten  in 
learning,  however,  by  any  Frenchman  who  ever  floated.  Go 
below,  Locker,  and  desire  Doctor  Magrath  to  step  up  here, 
if  he  is  not  occupied  with  the  wounded.  He  knows  more 
Latin  than  any  man  in  the  ship." 

"Yes,  Sir  Jarvy,  but  this  is  French,  you  knows,  your 
honor,  and  isn't  as  Latin,  at  all.     I  expects  she'll  turn  out 


412  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

to  have  some  name  as  no  modest  person  wishes  to  use,  and 
we  shall  have  to  halter  it." 

"  Ay,  he's  catted  his  anchor,  sure  enough;  if  the  figure  be 
not  Hope,  it  must  be  Faith,  or  Charity." 

"  No  fear  of  them,  Sir  Jarvy;  the  French  has  no  faith, 
nor  no  charity,  no,  nor  no  bowels,  as  any  poor  fellow  knows 
as  has  ever  been  wrecked  on  their  coast,  as  once  happened 
to  me,  when  a  b'y.  I  looks  upon  'em  as  no  better  than  so 
many  heatheners,  and  perhaps  that's  the  name  of  the  ship. 
I've  seed  heatheners,  a  hundred  times,  Sir  Jarvy,  in  that 
sort  of  toggery." 

"  What,  man,  did  you  ever  see  a  heathen  with  an  anchor? 
— one  that  will  weigh  three  hundred,  if  it  will  weigh  a 
pound?" 

"  Perhaps  not,  your  honor,  with  a  downright  hanchor,  but 
with  sum'mat  like  a  killog.  But  that's  no  hanchor,  a'ter 
all  but  only  a  kedge,  catted  hanchor-fashion,  sir." 

"Here  comes  Magrath,  to  help  us  out  of  the  difficulty; 
and  we'll  propound  the  matter  to  him." 

The  vice-admiral  now  explained  the  whole  affair  to  the 
surgeon,  frankly  admitting  that  the  classics  of  the  cabin 
were  at  fault,  and  throwing  himself  on  the  gunroom  for  as- 
sistance. Magrath  was  not  a  little  amused,  as  he  listened, 
for  this  was  one  of  his  triumphs,  and  he  chuckled  not  a  little 
at  the  dilemma  of  his  superiors. 

"Well,  Sir  Jairvis,"  he  answered,  "ye  might  do  warse 
than  call  a  council  o'  war  on  the  matter;  but  if  it's  the  name 
ye'U  be  wanting,  I  can  help  ye  to  that,  without  the  aids  of 
symbols,  and  signs,  and  hyeroglyphics  of  any  sort.  As  we 
crossed  the  vessel's  wake,  a  couple  of  hours  since,  I  read  it 
on  her  stern,  in  letters  of  gold.  It's  La  Victoire,  or  the 
Victory;  a  most  unfortunate  cognomen  for  an  unlucky  ship. 
She's  a  French  victory,  however,  ye'll  remember,  gen- 
tlemen!" 

"That  must  be  a  mistake,  Magrath;  for  Daly  has  shown 
an  anchor,  yonder;  and  Victory  carries  no  anchor." 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  413 

"  It's  hard  to  say,  veece-admiral,  one  man's  victory  being 
another  man's  defeat.  As  for  Mr.  Daly's  image,  it's  just  an 
Irish  goddess;  and  allowances  must  be  made  for  the  coun- 
try." 

Sir  Gervaise  laughed,  invited  the  gentlemen  to  help  de- 
molish the  breakfast,  and  sent  orders  on  deck  to  hoist  the 
answering  flag.  At  a  later  day,  Daly,  when  called  on  for  an 
explanation,  asserted  that  the  armor  and  helmet  belonged  to 
Victory,  as  a  matter  of  course ;  though  he  admitted  that  he 
had  at  first  forgotten  the  anchor ;  "  but,  when  I  did  run  it 
up,  they  read  it  aboard  the  ould  Planter,  as  if  it  had  been 
just  so  much  primmer." 


CHAPTER   XXV. 

"  There's  beauty  in  the  deep : — 
The  wave  is  bluer  than  the  sky  ; 
And,  though  the  light  shines  bright  on  high, 
More  softly  do  the  sea-gems  glow, 
That  sparkle  in  the  depths  below  ; 
The  rainbow's  tints  are  only  made 
When  on  the  waters  they  are  laid, 
And  sun  and  moon  most  sweetly  shine 
Upon  the  ocean's  level  brine. 
There's  beauty  in  the  deep." 

Brainard. 

As  Daly  was  the  recognized  jester  of  the  fleet,  his  extraor- 
dinary attempt  to  announce  his  vessel's  name  was  received 
as  a  characteristic  joke,  and  it  served  to  laugh  at  until 
something  better  offered.  Under  the  actual  circumstances 
of  the  two  squadrons,  however,  it  was  soon  temporarily  for- 
gotten in  graver  things,  for  few  believed  the  collision  that 
had  already  taken  place  was  to  satisfy  a  man  of  the  known 
temperament  of  the  commander-in-chief.  As  the  junction 
of  the  rear  division  was  the  only  thing  wanting  to  bring  on 
a  general  engagement,  as  soon  as  the  weather  should  moder- 
ate a  little,  every  ship  had  careful  lookouts  aloft,  sweeping 
the  horizon  constantly  with  glasses,  more  particularly  toward 


414  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS; 

the  east  and  northeast.  The  gale  broke  about  noon,  though 
the  wind  still  continued  fresh  from  the  same  quarter  as  be- 
fore. The  sea  began  to  go  down,  however,  and  at  eight 
bells  material  changes  had  occurred  in  the  situations  of  both 
fleets.     Some  of  these  it  may  be  necessary  to  mention. 

The  ship  of  the  French  admiral,  Le  Foudroyant,  and  Le 
Scipion  had  been  received,  as  it  might  be,  in  the  arms  of 
their  own  fleet  in  the  manner  already  mentioned;  and  from 
this  moment  the  movement  of  the  whole  force  was,  in  a 
measuie,  regulated  by  that  of  these  two  crippled  vessels. 
The  former  ship,  by  means  of  her  lower  sails,  might  have 
continued  to  keep  her  station  in  the  line,  so  long  as  the  gale 
lasted;  but  the  latter  unavoidably  fell  off,  compelling  her 
consorts  to  keep  near,  or  to  abandon  her  to  her  fate.  M. 
de  Vervillin  preferred  the  latter  course.  The  consequences 
were  that,  by  the  time  the  sun  was  in  the  zenith,  his  line,  a 
good  deal  extended  still,  and  far  from  regular,  was  quite 
three  leagues  to  leeward  of  that  of  the  English.  Nor  was 
this  all :  at  that  important  turn  in  the  day.  Sir  Gervaise 
Oakes  was  enabled  to  make  sail  on  all  his  ships,  setting  the 
fore  and  mizzen  topsails  close-reefed;  while  La  Victoire,  a 
fast  vessel,  was  enable  to  keep  in  company  by  carrying 
whole  courses.  The  French  could  not  imitate  this,  inasmuch 
as  one  of  their  crippled  vessels  had  nothing  standing  but  a 
foremast.  Sir  Gervaise  had  ascertained,  before  the  distance 
became  too  great  for  such  observations,  that  the  enemy  was 
getting  ready  to  send  up  new  topmasts  and  the  other  neces- 
sary spars  on  board  the  admiral,  as  well  as  jury  lower-masts 
in  Le  Scipion;  though  the  sea  would  not  yet  permit  any 
very  positive  demonstrations  to  be  made  toward  such  an 
improvement.  He  laid  his  own  plans  for  the  approaching 
night  accordingly;  determining  not  to  worry  his  people,  or 
notify  the  enemy  of  his  intentions,  by  attempting  any  simi- 
lar improvement  in  the  immediate  condition  of  his  prize. 

About  noon,  each  ship's  number  was  made  in  succession, 
and  the  question  was  put  if  she  had  sustained  any  material 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  415 

injury  in  the  late  conflict.  The  answers  were  satisfactory 
in  general,  though  one  or  two  of  the  vessels  made  such  re- 
plies as  induced  the  commander-in-chief  to  resort  to  a  still 
more  direct  mode  of  ascertaining  the  real  condition  of  his 
.-.^eet.  In  order  to  effect  this  important  object,  Sir  Gervaise 
waited  two  hours  longer,  for  the  double  purpose  of  letting 
all  the  messes  get  through  with  their  dinners,  and  to  permit 
the  wind  to  abate  and  the  sea  to  fall,  as  both  were  now  fast 
doing.  At  the  expiration  of  that  time,  however,  he  appeared 
on  the  poop,  summoning  Bunting  to  his  customary  duty. 

At  2  P.M.  it  blew  a  whole-topsail  breeze,  as  it  is  called; 
but  the  sea  being  still  high,  and  the  ships  close-hauled,  the 
vice-admiral  did  not  see  fit  to  order  any  more  sail.  Per- 
haps he  was  also  influenced  by  a  desire  not  to  increase  his 
distance  from  the  enemy,  it  being  a  part  of  his  plan  to  keep 
M.  deVervillin  in  plain  sight  so  long  as  the  day  continued, 
in  order  that  he  might  have  a  tolerable  idea  of  the  position 
of  his  fleet,  during  the  hours  of  darkness.  His  present  in- 
tention was  to  cause  his  vessels  to  pass  before  him  in  re- 
view, as  a  general  orders  his  battalions  to  march  past  a  sta- 
tion occupied  by  himself  and  staff,  with  a  view  to  judge  by 
his  own  eye  of  their  steadiness  and  appearance.  Vice- 
Admiral  Oakes  was  the  only  officer  in  the  British  navy  who 
ever  resorted  to  this  practice;  but  he  did  many  things  of 
which  other  men  never  dreamed,  and,  among  the  rest,  he 
did  not  hesitate  to  attack  double  his  force,  when  an  occasion 
offered,  as  has  just  been  seen.  The  officers  of  the  fleet 
called  these  characteristic  reviews  "  Sir  Jarvy's  field-days,'* 
finding  a  malicious  pleasure  in  comparing  anything  out  of 
the  common  nautical  track  to  some  usage  of  the  soldiers. 

Bunting  got  his  orders,  notwithstanding  the  jokes  of  the 
fleet;  and  the  necessary  signals  were  made  and  the  answers 
given.  Captain  Greenly  then  received  his  verbal  instruc- 
tions, when  the  commander-in-chief  went  below,  to  prepare 
himself  for  the  approaching  scene.  When  Sir  Gervaise  re- 
appeared on  the  poop  he  was  in  full  uniform,  wearing  the 


4l6  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

Star  of  the  Bath,  as  was  usual  with  him  on  all  solemn  official 
occasions.  Atwood  and  Bunting  were  at  his  side,  while  the 
Bowlderos,  in  their  rich  shore-liveries,  formed  a  group  at 
hand.  Captain  Greenly  and  his  first  lieutenant  joined  the 
party  as  soon  as  their  duty  with  the  ship  was  over.  On  th", 
opposite  side  of  the  poop,  the  whole  of  the  marines  off  guard 
were  drawn  up  in  triple  lines,  with  their  officers  at  their 
head.  The  ship  herself  had  hauled  up  her  mainsail,  hauled 
down  all  her  staysails,  and  lay  with  her  main-topsail  braced 
sharp  aback,  with  orders  to  the  quartermaster  to  keep  her 
little  off  the  wind ;  the  object  being  to  leave  a  little  way 
through  the  water,  in  order  to  prolong  the  expected  inter- 
views. With  these  preparations  the  commander-in-chief 
awaited  the  successive  approach  of  his  ships,  the  sun,  for 
the  first  time  in  twenty-four  hours,  making  his  appearance 
in  a  flood  of  brilliant  summer  light,  as  if  purposely  to  grace 
the  ceremony. 

The  first  ship  that  drew  near  the  Plantagenet  was  the 
Carnatic,  as  a  matter  of  course,  she  being  the  next  in  the 
line.  This  vessel,  remarkable,  as  the  commander-in-chief 
had  observed,  for  never  being  out  of  the  way,  was  not  long 
in  closing,  though  as  she  luffed  up  on  the  admiral's  weather- 
quarter,  to  pass  to  windward,  she  let  go  all  her  topsail  bow- 
lines, so  as  to  deaden  her  way,  making  a  sort  of  half-board. 
This  simple  evolution,  as  she  righted  her  helm,  brought  her 
about  fifty  yards  to  windward  of  the  Plantagenet,  past  which 
ship  she  surged  slowly  but  steadily,  the  weather  now  per- 
mitting a  conversation  to  be  held  at  that  distance,  and  by 
means  of  trumpets,  with  little  or  no  effort  of  the  voice. 

Most  of  the  officers  of  the  Carnatic  were  on  her  poop,  as 
she  came  sweeping  up  heavily,  casting  her  shadow  on  the 
Plantagenet's  decks.  Captain  Parker  himself  was  standing 
near  the  ridge-ropes,  his  head  uncovered,  and  the  gray  hairs 
floating  in  the  breeze.  The  countenance  of  this  simple- 
minded  veteran  was  a  little  anxious,  for,  had  he  feared  the 
enemy  a  tenth  part  as  much  as  he  stood  in  awe  of  his  com- 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  417 

manding  officer,  he  would  have  been  totally  unfit  for  his 
station.  Now  he  glanced  upward  at  his  sails,  to  see  that 
all  was  right;  then,  as  he  drew  nearer,  fathom  by  fathom, 
as  it  might  be,  he  anxiously  endeavored  to  read  the  expres- 
sion of  the  vice-admiral's  face. 

"  How  do  you  do.  Captain  Parker?"  commenced  Sir  Ger- 
vaise,  with  true  trumpet  formality,  making  the  customary 
salutation. 

"  How  is  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  to-day  ?  I  hope  untouched 
in  the  late  affair  with  the  enemy.?" 

"  Quite  well,  I  thank  you,  sir.  Has  the  Carnatic  received 
any  serious  injury  in  the  battle?" 

"  None  to  mention,  Sir  Gervaise.  A  rough  scrape  of  the 
foremast;  but  not  enough  to  alarm  us,  now  the  weather  has 
moderated;  a  little  rigging  cut,  and  a  couple  of  raps  in  the 
hull." 

"Have  your  people  suffered,  sir?" 

"Two  killed  and  seven  wounded.  Sir  Gervaise.  Good 
lads,  most  of  'em;  but  enough  like  'em  remain." 

"  I  understand,  then,  Captain  Parker,  that  you  report  the 
Carnatic  fit  for  any  service?" 

"  As  much  so  as  my  poor  abilities  enable  me  to  make  her, 
Sir  Gervaise  Oakes,"  answered  the  other,  a  little  alarmed  at 
the  formality  and  precision  of  the  question.  "  Meet  her 
with  the  helm — meet  her  with  the  helm." 

All  this  passed  while  the  Carnatic  was  making  her  half- 
board,  and,  the  helm  being  righted,  she  now  slowly  and  ma- 
jestically fell  off  with  her  broadside  to  the  admiral,  gather- 
ing way  as  her  canvas  began  to  draw  again.  At  this  instant, 
when  the  yard-arms  of  the  two  ships  were  about  a  hundred 
feet  asunder,  and  just  as  the  Carnatic  drew  up  fairly  abeam, 
Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  raised  his  hat,  stepped  quickly  to  the 
side  of  the  poop,  waved  his  hand  for  silence,  and  spoke  with 
a  distinctness  that  rendered  his  words  audible  to  all  in  both 
vessels. 

"Captain  Parker,"  he  said,  "I  wish,  publicly,  to  thank 
27 


4l8  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

you  for  your  noble  conduct  this  day.  I  have  always  said  a 
surer  support  could  never  follow  a  commander-in-chief  into 
battle ;  you  have  more  than  proved  my  opinion  to  be  true. 
I  wish,  publicly,  to  thank  you,  sir." 

"  Sir  Gervaise — I  cannot  express — God  bless  you.  Sir 
Gervaise!" 

"  I  have  but  one  fault  to  find  with  you,  sir,  and  that  is 
easily  pardoned." 

"  I'm  sure  I  hope  so,  sir." 

"  You  handled  your  ship  so  rapidly  and  so  surely,  that 
we  had  hardly  time  to  get  out  of  the  way  of  your  guns!" 

Old  Parker  could  not  now  have  answered  had  his  life  de- 
pended on  it;  but  he  bowed,  and  dashed  a  hand  across  his 
eyes.     There  was  but  a  moment  to  say  any  more. 

"  If  His  Majesty's  sword  be  not  laid  on  your  shoulder  for 
this  day's  work,  sir,  it  shall  be  no  fault  of  mine,"  added  Sir 
Gervaise,  waving  his  hat  in  adieu. 

While  this  dialogue  lasted,  so  profound  was  the  stillness 
in  the  two  ships,  that  the  wash  of  the  water  under  the  bows 
of  the  Carnatic  was  the  only  sound  to  interfere  with  Sir 
Gervaise's  clarion  voice;  but  the  instant  he  ceased  to 
speak,  the  crews  of  both  vessels  rose  as  one  man,  and 
cheered.  The  officers  joined  heartily,  and,  to  complete  the 
compliment,  the  commander-in-chief  ordered  his  own  ma- 
rines to  present  arms  to  the  passing  vessel.  Then  it  was 
that,  every  sail  drawing,  again  the  Carnatic  took  a  sudden 
start,  and  shot  nearly  her  length  ahead,  on  the  summit  of  a 
sea.  In  half  a  minute  more,  she  was  ahead  of  the  Planta- 
genet's  flying-jib-boom-end,  steering  a  little  free,  so  as  not  to 
throw  the  admiral  to  leeward. 

The  Carnatic  was  scarcely  out  of  the  way,  before  the 
Achilles  was  ready  to  take  her  place.  This  ship,  having 
more  room,  had  easily  luffed  to  windward  of  the  Plantage- 
net,  simply  letting  go  her  bowlines,  as  her  bows  doubled 
on  the  admiral's  stern,  in  order  to  check  her  way, 

^'How  do  you  do  to-day,  Sir  Gervaise?"  called  out  Lord 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  4I9 

Morganic,  without  waiting  for  the  commander-in-chief's  hail 
— "  allow  me  to  congratulate  you,  sir,  on  the  exploits  of  this 
glorious  day!" 

"  I  thank  you,  my  lord,  and  wish  to  say  I  am  satisfied 
with  the  behavior  of  your  ship.  You've  all  done  well,  and 
I  desire  to  thank  you  all.     Is  the  Achilles  injured?" 

"Nothing  to  speak  of,  sir.  A  little  rigging  gone,  and 
here  and  there  a  stick." 

"  Have  you  lost  any  men,  my  lord  ?  I  desire  particularly 
to  know  the  condition  of  each  ship." 

"  Some  eight  or  ten  poor  fellows,  I  believe,  Sir  Gervaise; 
but  we  are  ready  to  engage  this  instant." 

"It  is  well,  my  lord;  steady  your  bowlines,  and  make 
room  for  the  Thunderer." 

Morganic  gave  the  order,  but  as  his  ship  drew  ahead  he 
called  out  in  a  pertinacious  way:  "I  hope,  Sir  Gervaise, 
you  don't  mean  to  give  that  other  lame  duck  up.  I've  got 
my  first  lieutenant  on  board  one  of  'em,  and  confess  to  a 
desire  to  put  the  second  on  board  another." 

"Ay — ay — Morganic,  we  knock  down  the  birds,  and  you 
bag  'em.  I'll  give  you  more  sport  in  the  same  way,  before 
I've  done  with  ye." 

This  little  concession,  even  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes,  a  man 
not  accustomed  to  trifle  in  matters  of  duty,  saw  fit  to  make 
to  the  other's  rank;  and  the  Achilles  withdrew  from  before 
the  flagship,  as  the  curtain  is  drawn  from  before  the  scene. 

''  I  do  believe,  Greenleaf,"  observed  Lord  Morganic  to  his 
surgeon,  one  of  his  indulged  favorites;  "that  Sir  Jarvy  is  a 
little  jealous  of  us,  because  Daly  got  into  the  prize  before 
he  could  send  one  of  his  own  boats  aboard  of  her.  'Twill 
tell  well  in  the  gazette,  too,  will  it  not? — *  The  French  ship 
was  taken  possession  of,  and  brought  off,  by  the  Achilles, 
Captain  the  Earl  of  Morganic! '  I  hope  the  old  fellow  will 
have  the  decency  to  give  us  our  due.  I  rather  think  it  was 
our  last  broadside  that  brought  the  colors  down?" 

A  suitable  answer  was  returned,  but,  as  the  ship  is  draw- 


420  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

ing  ahead,  we  cannot  follow  her  to  relate  it.  The  vessel 
that  approached  the  third  was  the  Thunderer,  Captain  Foley. 
This  was  one  of  the  ships  that  had  received  the  fire  of  the 
three  leading  French  vessels,  after  they  had  brought  the 
wind  abeam,  and,  being  the  leading  vessel  of  the  English 
rear,  she  had  suffered  more  than  any  other  of  the  British 
squadron.  The  fact  was  apparent,  as  she  approached,  by  the 
manner  in  which  her  rigging  was  knotted,  and  the  attention 
that  had  been  paid  to  her  spars.  Even  as  she  closed,  the 
men  were  on  the  yard  bending  a  new  main-course,  the  old 
one  having  been  hit  on  the  bolt-rope,  and  torn  nearly  from 
the  spar.  There  were  also  several  plugs  on  her  lee-side  to 
mark  the  spots  where  the  French  guns  had  told. 

The  usual  greetings  passed  between  the  vice-admiral  and 
his  captain,  and  the  former  put  his  questions. 

"  We  have  not  been  quite  exchanging  salutes.  Sir  Ger- 
vaise,"  answered  Captain  Foley;  "but  the  ship  is  ready  for 
service  again.  Should  the  wind  moderate  a  little,  I  think 
everything  would  stand  to  carry  sail  hard^ 

"  I'm  glad  to  hear  it,  sir — rejoiced  to  hear  it,  sir.  I 
feared  more  for  you,  than  for  any  other  vessel.  I  hope 
you've  not  suffered  materially  in  your  crew?" 

"Nine  killed,  Sir  Gervaise;  and  the  surgeon  tells  me 
sixteen  wounded." 

"That  proves  you've  not  been  in  port,  Foley!  Well,  I 
dare  say,  could  the  truth  be  known,  it  would  be  found  that 
M.  de  Vervillin's  vessels  bear  your  marks,  in  revenge. 
Adieu — adieu — God  bless  you." 

The  Thunderer  glided  ahead,  making  room  for  the  Blen- 
heim, Captain  Sterling.  This  was  one  of  your  serviceable 
ships,  without  any  show  or  style  about  her;  but  a  vessel 
that  was  always  ready  to  give  and  take.  Her  commander 
was  a  regular  sea-dog,  a  little  addicted  to  hard  and  outland- 
ish oaths,  a  great  consumer  of  tobacco  and  brandy;  but  who 
had  the  discrimination  never  to  swear  in  the  presence  of  the 
commander-in-chief,  although  he  had  been  known  to  do  so 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  421 

in  a  church;  or  to  drink  more  than  he  could  well  carry, 
when  he  was  in  presence  of  an  enemy  or  a  gale  of  wind. 
He  was  too  firm  a  man,  and  too  good  a  seaman,  to  use  the 
bottle  as  a  refuge ;  it  was  the  companion  of  his  ease  and 
pleasure,  and,  to  confess  the  truth,  he  then  treated  it  with  an 
affectionate  benevolence  that  rendered  it  exceedingly  diffi- 
cult for  others  not  to  entertain  some  of  his  own  partiality 
for  it.  In  a  word,  Captain  Sterling  was  a  sailor  of  the  "old 
school" ;  for  there  was  an  "  old  school"  in  manners,  habits, 
opinions,  philosophy,  morals,  and  reason,  a  century  since, 
precisely  as  there  is  to-day,  and  probably  will  be,  a  century 
hence. 

The  Blenheim  made  a  good  report,  not  having  sustained 
any  serious  injury  whatever;  nor  had  she  a  man  hurt.  The 
captain  reported  his  ship  as  fit  for  service  as  she  was  the 
hour  she  lifted  her  anchor. 

*'  So  much  the  better,  Sterling — so  much  the  better.  You 
shall  take  the  edge  off  the  next  affair,  by  way  of  giving  you 
another  chance.  I  rely  on  the  Blenheim,  and  on  her  cap- 
tain." 

"I  thank  you,  sir,"  returned  Sterling,  as  his  ship  moved 
on;  "by  the  way,  Sir  Gervaise,  would  it  not  be  fair  play  to 
rummage  the  prize's  lockers  before  she  gets  into  the  hands 
of  the  custom-house?  Out  here  on  the  high  seas,  there  can 
be  no  smuggling  in  that ;  there  must  be  good  claret  aboard 
her." 

"  There  would  be  *  plunder  of  a  prize,'  Sterling,"  said  the 
vice-admiral,  laughing,  for  he  knew  that  the  question  was 
put  more  as  a  joke  than  a  serious  proposition ;  "  and  that  is 
death,  without  benefit  of  clergy.  Move  on;  here  is  Good- 
fellow  close  upon  your  heels." 

The  last  ship  in  the  English  line  was  the  Warspite,  Cap- 
tain Goodfellow,  an  officer  remarkable  in  the  service  at  that 
day,  for  a  "religious  turn,"  as  it  was  called.  As  is  usually 
the  case  with  men  of  this  stamp.  Captain  Goodfellow  was 
quiet,  thoughtful,  and  attentive  to  his  duty.     There  was  less 


422  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

of  the  real  tar  in  him,  perhaps,  than  in  some  of  his  compan- 
ions; but  his  ship  was  in  good  order,  always  did  her  duty, 
and  was  remarkably  attentive  to  signals;  a  circumstance' 
that  rendered  her  commander  a  marked  favorite  with  the 
vice-admiral.  After  the  usual  questions  were  put  and  an- 
swered, Sir  Gervaise  informed  Goodfellow  that  he  intended 
to  change  the  order  of  sailing  so  as  to  bring  him  near  the 
van. 

"We  will  give  old  Parker  a  breathing-spell,  Goodfellow," 
added  the  commander-in-chief,  "  and  you  will  be  my  second 
astern.  I  must  go  ahead  of  you  all,  or  you'll  be  running 
down  on  the  Frenchman  without  orders;  pretending  you 
can't  see  the  signals,  in  the  smoke." 

The  Warspite  drove  ahead,  and  the  Plantagenet  was  now 
left  to  receive  the  prize  and  the  Druid;  the  Chloe,  Driver, 
and  Active,  not  being  included  in  the  signal.  Daly  had 
been  gradually  eating  the  other  ships  out  of  the  wind,  as 
has  been  mentioned  already,  and  when  the  order  was  given 
to  pass  within  hail  he  grumbled  not  a  little  at  the  necessity 
of  losing  so  much  of  his  vantage-ground.  Nevertheless,  it 
would  not  do  to  joke  with  the  commander-in-chief  in  a  mat- 
ter of  this  sort,  and  he  was  fain  to  haul  up  his  courses,  and 
wait  for  the  moment  when  he  might  close.  By  the  time  the 
Warspite  was  out  of  the  way,  his  ship  had  drifted  down  so 
near  the  admiral  that  he  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  haul 
aboard  his  tacks  again,  and  pass  as  near  as  was  at  all  de- 
sirable. When  quite  near,  he  hauled  up  his  mainsail,  by 
order  of  the  vice-admiral. 

"Are  you  much  in  want  of  anything,  Mr.  Daly?"  de- 
manded Sir  Gervaise,  as  soon  as  the  lieutenant  appeared 
forward  to  meet  his  hail.  "The  sea  is  going  down  so  fast 
that  we  might  now  send  you  some  boats." 

"  Many  thanks.  Sir  Gervaise;  I  want  to  get  rid  of  a  hun- 
dred or  two  Frenchmen,  and  to  have  a  hundred  Englishmen 
in  their  places.  We  are  but  twenty-one  of  the  king's  sub- 
jects here,  all  told." 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  423 

"  Captain  Blewet  is  ordered  to  keep  company  with  you, 
sir;  and  as  soon  as  it  is  dark,  I  intend  to  send  you  into 
Plymouth  under  the  frigate's  convoy.  Is  she  a  nice  ship, 
hey!   Daly?" 

"Why,  Sir  Gervaise,  she's  like  apiece  of  broken  crockery, 
just  now,  and  one  can't  tell  all  her  merits.  She's  not  a  bad 
goer,  and  weatherly,  I  think,  all  will  call  her.  But  she's 
thundering  French,  inside." 

"We'll  make  her  English  in  due  time,  sir.  How  are  the 
leaks?     Do  the  pumps  work  freely?" 

"  Deuce  the  Take  has  she,  Sir  Gervaise,  and  the  pumps 
suck  like  a  nine-months'  babby.  And  if  they  didn't  we're 
scarce  the  boys  to  find  out  the  contr^^ry,  being  but  nineteen 
working-hands." 

"Very  well,  Daly;  you  can  haul  aboard  your  main-tack, 
now;  remember,  you're  to  go  into  Plymouth,  as  soon  as  its 
dark.  If  you  see  anything  of  Admiral  Blucwater,  tell  him 
I  rely  on  his  support,  and  only  wait  for  his  appearance  to 
finish  Monsieur  de  Vervillin's  job." 

"I'll  do  all  that,  with  hearty  good-will,  sir.  Pray, 
Sir  Gervaise,"  added  Daly,  grinning,  on  the  poop  of 
the  prize,  whither  he  had  got  by  this  time,  having  walked 
aft  as  his  ship  went  ahead,  "  how  do  you  like  French 
signals?  For  want  of  a  better,  we  were  driven  to  the 
classics!" 

"  Ay,  you'd  be  bothered  to  explain  all  your  own  flags,  I 
fancy.  The  name  of  the  ship  is  the  Victory,  I  am  told; 
why  did  you  put  her  in  armor,  and  whip  a  kedge  up  against 
the  poor  woman?" 

"  It's  according  to  the  books,  Sir  Gervaise.  Every  word 
of  it  out  of  Cicero,  and  Cord^-iry,  and  Cornelius  Nepos,  and 
those  sort  of  fellows.  Oh!  I  went  to  school,  sir,  before  I 
went  to  sea,  as  you  say  yourself,  sometimes,  Sir  Gervaise; 
and  literature  is  the  same  in  Ireland  as  it  is  all  over  the 
world.  Victory  needs  armor,  sir,  in  order  to  be  victorious, 
and  the  anchor  is  to  show  that  she  doesn't  belong  to  '  the 


424  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

cut  and  run'  family.  I  am  as  sure  that  all  was  right  as  I 
ever  was  of  my  moods  and  tenses." 

"Very  well,  Daly,"  answered  Sir  Gervaise,  laughing — 
"  My  lords  shall  know  your  merits  in  that  way,  and  it  may 
get  you  named  a  professor — keep  your  luff,  or  you'll  be 
down  on  our  spritsail-yard; — remember  and  follow  the 
Druid." 

Here  the  gentlemen  waved  their  hands  in  adieu  as  usual, 
and  La  Victoire,  clipped  as  she  was  of  her  wings,  drew 
slowly  past.  The  Druid  succeeded,  and  Sir  Gervaise  simply 
gave  Blewet  his  orders  to  see  the  prize  into  port,  and  to  look 
after  his  own  foremast.  This  ended  the  field-day;  the  frig- 
ate luffing  up  to  windward  of  the  line  again,  leaving  the 
Plantagenet  in  its  rear.  A  few  minutes  later,  the  latter  ship 
filled  and  stood  after  her  consorts. 

The  vice-admiral  having  now  ascertained,  in  the  most 
direct  manner,  the  actual  condition  of  his  fleet,  had  data  on 
which  to  form  his  plans  for  the  future.  But  for  the  letter 
from  Bluewater,  he  would  have  been  perfectly  happy ;  the 
success  of  the  day  having  infused  a  spirit  into  the  different 
vessels,  that,  of  itself,  was  a  pledge  of  more  important  re- 
sults. Still  he  determined  to  act  as  if  that  letter  had  never 
been  written,  finding  it  impossible  to  believe  that  one  who 
had  so  long  been  true  could  really  fail  him  in  the  hour  of 
need.  "  I  know  his  heart  better  than  he  knows  it  himself," 
he  caught  himself  mentally  exclaiming,  "and  before  either 
of  us  is  a  day  older  this  will  I  prove  to  him,  to  his  confu- 
sion and  my  triumph."  He  had  several  short  and  broken 
conversations  with  Wycherly  in  the  course  of  the  afternoon, 
with  a  view  to  ascertain,  if  possible,  the  real  frame  of  mind 
in  which  his  friend  had  written,  but  without  success,  the 
young  man  frankly  admitting  that,  owing  to  a  confusion  of 
thought  that  he  modestly  attributed  to  himself,  but  which 
Sir  Gervaise  well  knew  ought  in  justice  to  be  imputed  to 
Bluewater,  he  had  not  been  able  to  bring  away  with  him 
any  very  clear  notions  of  the  rear-admiral's  intentions. 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  42$ 

In  the  mean  while,  the  elements  were  beginning  to  exhibit 
another  of  their  changeful  humors.  A  gale  in  summer  is 
seldom  of  long  duration,  and  twenty-four  hours  would  seem 
to  be  the  period  which  nature  had  assigned  to  this.  The 
weather  had  moderated  materially  by  the  time  the  review 
had  taken  place,  and  five  hours  later,  not  only  had  the  sea 
subsided  to  a  very  reasonable  swell,  but  the  wind  had  hauled 
several  points;  coming  out  a  fresh  topgallant  breeze  at 
northwest.  The  French  fleet  wore  soon  after,  standing  about 
northeast-by-north,  on  an  easy  bowline.  They  had  been 
active  in  repairing  damages,  and  the  admiral  was  all  a-tanto 
again,  with  everything  set  that  the  other  ships  carried.  The 
plight  of  Le  Scipion  was  not  so  easily  remedied,  though 
even  she  had  two  jury-masts  rigged,  assistance  having  been 
sent  from  the  other  vessels  as  soon  as  boats  could  safely 
pass.  As  the  sun  hung  in  the  western  sky,  wanting  about 
an  hour  of  disappearing  from  one  of  the  long  summer  days 
of  that  high  latitude,  this  ship  set  a  mizzen-topsail  in  the 
place  of  a  main,  and  a  fore-topgallant-sail  in  lieu  of  a 
mizzen-topsail.  Thus  equipped,  she  was  enabled  to  keep 
company  with  her  consorts,  all  of  which  were  under  easy 
canvas,  waiting  for  the  night  to  cover  their  movements. 

Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  had  made  the  signal  for  his  fleet  to 
tack  in  succession,  from  the  rear  to  the  van,  about  an  hour 
before  Le  Scipion  obtained  this  additional  sail.  The  order 
was  executed  with  great  readiness,  and,  as  the  ships  had 
been  looking  up  as  high  as  west-southwest  before,  when 
they  got  round,  and  headed  north-northeast,  their  line  of 
sailing  was  still  quite  a  league  to  windward  of  that  of  the 
enemy.  As  each  vessel  filled  on  the  larboard  tack,*  she 
shortened  sail  to  allow  the  ships  astern  to  keep  away,  and 
close  to  her  station.  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  this 
change  again  brought  the  Plantagenet  to  the  head  of  the 
line,  with  the  Warspite,  however,  instead  of  the  Carnatic, 
for  her  second  astern ;  the  latter  vessel  being  quite  in  the 
rear. 


426  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

It  was  a  glorious  afternoon,  and  there  was  every  promise 
of  as  fine  a  night.  Still,  as  there  were  but  about  six  hours 
of  positive  darkness  at  that  season  of  the  year,  and  the  moon 
would  rise  at  midnight,  the  vice-admiral  knew  he  had  no 
time  to  lose,  if  he  would  effect  anything  under  the  cover  of 
obscurity.  Reefs  were  no  longer  used,  though  all  the  ships 
were  under  short  canvas,  in  order  to  accommodate  their 
movements  to  those  of  the  prize.  The  latter,  however,  was 
now  in  tow  of  the  Druid,  and,  as  this  frigate  carried  her 
topgallant-sails,  aided  by  her  own  courses,  La  Victoire  was 
enabled  not  only  to  keep  up  with  the  fleet,  then  under  whole 
topsails,  but  to  maintain  her  weatherly  position.  Such  was 
the  state  of  things  just  as  the  sun  dipped,  the  enemy  being 
on  the  lee  bow,  distant  one  and  a  half  leagues,  when  the 
Plantagenet  showed  a  signal  for  the  whole  fleet  to  heave  to, 
with  the  main-topsails  to  the  masts.  This  command  was 
scarcely  executed,  when  the  officers  on  deck  were  surprised 
to  hear  a  boatswain's  mate  piping  away  the  crew  of  the  vice- 
admiral's  barge,  or  that  of  the  boat  which  was  appropriated 
to  the  particular  service  of  the  commander-in-chief. 

"  Did  I  hear  aright,  Sir  Gervaise?"  inquired  Greenly,  with 
curiosity  and  interest;  "is  it  your  wish  to  have  your  barge 
manned,  sir?" 

"  You  heard  perfectly  right,  Greenly ;  and,  if  disposed  for 
a  row  this  fine  evening,  I  shall  ask  the  favor  of  your  com- 
pany. Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe,  as  you  are  an  idler  here, 
I  have  a  flag-officer's  right  to  press  you  into  my  service.  By 
the  way,  Greenl)',  I  have  made  out  and  signed  an  order  to 
this  gentleman  to  report  himself  to  you,  as  attached  to  my 
family,  as  the  soldiers  call  it;  as  soon  as  Atwood  has  copied 
it,  it  will  be  handed  to  him,  when  I  beg  you  will  consider 
him  as  my  first  aid." 

To  this  no  one  could  object,  and  Wycherly  made  a  bow 
of  acknowledgment.  At  that  instant  the  barge  was  seen 
swinging  off  over  the  ship's  waist,  and,  at  the  next,  the  yard 
tackles  were  heard  overhauling  themselves.     The  splash  of 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  42^ 

the  boat  in  the  water  followed.  The  crew  was  in  her,  with 
oars  on  end,  and  poised  boat-hooks,  in  another  minute. 
The  guard  presented,  the  boatswain  piped  over,  the  drum 
rolled,  and  Wycherly  jumped  to  the  gangway  and  was  out 
of  sight  quick  as  thought.  Greenly  and  Sir  Gervaise  fol- 
lowed, when  the  boat  shoved  off. 

Although  the  seas  had  greatly  subsided,  and  their  combs 
were  no  longer  dangerous,  the  Atlantic  was  far  from  being 
as  quiet  as  a  lake  in  a  summer  eventide.  At  the  very  first 
dash  of  the  oars  the  barge  rose  on  a  long,  heavy  swell  that 
buoyed  her  up  like  a  bubble,  and,  as  the  water  glided  from 
under  her  again,  it  seemed  as  if  she  was  about  to  sink  into 
some  cavern  of  the  ocean.  Few  things  give  more  vivid  im- 
pressions of  helplessness  than  boats  thus  tossed  by  the 
waters  when  not  in  their  raging  humors;  for  one  is  apt  to 
expect  better  treatment  than  thus  to  be  made  the  plaything 
of  the  element.  All,  however,  who  have  ever  floated  on 
even  the  most  quiet  ocean,  must  have  experienced  more  or 
less  of  this  helpless  dependence,  the  stoutest  boat,  impelled 
by  the  lustiest  crews,  appearing  half  the  time  like  a  feather 
floating  in  capricious  currents  of  the  air. 

The  occupants  of  the  barge,  however,  were  too  familiar 
with  their  situation  to  think  much  of  these  matters;  and,  as 
soon  as  Sir  Gervaise  assented  to  Wycherly's  offer  to  take 
the  tiller,  he  glanced  upward,  with  a  critical  eye,  in  order  to 
scan  the  Plantagenet's  appearance. 

"  That  fellow,  Morganic,  has  got  a  better  excuse  for  his 
xebec-rig  than  I  had  supposed,  Greenly,"  he  said,  after  a 
minute  of  observation.  '' Your  fore  topmast  is  at  least  six 
inches  too  far  forward,  and  I  beg  you  will  have  it  stayed  aft 
to-morrow  morning,  if  the  weather  permit.  None  of  your 
Mediterranean  craft  for  me,  in  the  narrow  seas." 

"Very  well.  Sir  Gervaise;  the  spar  shall  be  righted  in 
the  morning  watch,"  quietly  returned  the  captain. 

"Now,  there's  Goodfellow,  half-parson  as  he  is;  the  man 
contrives  to  keep  his  sticks  more  upright  than  any  captain 


428  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

in  the  fleet.     You  never  see  a  spar  half  an  inch  out  of  its 
place,  on  board  the  Warspite." 

"  That  is  because  her  captain  trims  everything  by  his  own 
life,  sir,"  rejoined  Greenly,  smiling.  "Were  we  half  as 
good  as  he  is,  in  other  matters,  we  might  be  better  than  we 
are  in  seamanship." 

"  I  do  not  think  religion  hurts  a  sailor,  Greenly — no,  not 
in  the  least.  That  is  to  say,  when  he  don't  wedge  his  masts 
too  tight,  but  leaves  play  enough  for  all  weathers.  There  is 
no  cant  in  Goodfellow." 

"  Not  the  least  of  it,  sir,  and  that  it  is  which  makes  him 
so  great  a  favorite.  The  chaplain  of  the  Warspite  is  of 
some  use;  but  one  might  as  well  have  a  bowsprit  rigged  out 
of  a  cabinwindow,  as  have  our  chap." 

"  Why,  we  never  bury  a  man.  Greenly,  without  putting 
him  into  the  water  as  a  Christian  should  be,"  returned  Sir 
Gervaise,  with  the  simplicity  of  a  true  believer  of  the  de- 
cency school.  "  I  hate  to  see  a  seaman  tossed  in  the  ocean 
like  a  bag  of  old  clothes." 

"  We  get  along  with  that  part  of  the  duty  pretty  well ;  but 
before  a  man  is  dead,  the  parson  is  of  opinion  that  he  be- 
longs altogether  to  the  doctor." 

"  rd  bet  a  hundred  guineas,  Magrath  has  had  some  in- 
fluence over  him,  in  this  matter — give  the  Blenheim  a  wider 
berth.  Sir  Wycherly,  I  wish  to  see  how  she  looks  aloft — he's 
a  d — d  fellow,  that  Magrath" — no  one  swore  in  Sir  Ger- 
vaise's  boat  but  himself,  when  the  vice-admiral's  flag  was 
flying  in  her  bows — "  and  he's  just  the  sort  of  man  to  put 
such  a  notion  into  the  chaplain's  head." 

"  Why,  there,  I  believe  you're  more  than  half  right.  Sir 
Gervaise;  I  overheard  a  conversation  between  them  one 
dark  night,  when  they  were  propping  the  mizzen-mast  under 
the  break  of  the  poop,  and  the  surgeon  ^/zV/maintain  a  theory 
very  like  that  you  mention,  sir." 

"Ah!— he  did,  did  he?  It's  just  like  the  Scotch  rogue, 
who  wanted  to  persuade  me  that  your  poor  uncle,  Sir  Wych- 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  429 

erly,  ought  not  to  have  been  blooded,  in  as  clear  a  case  of 
apoplexy  as  ever  was  met  with." 

"Well,  I  didn't  think  he  could  have  carried  his  impu- 
dence as  far  as  that,"  observed  Greenly,  whose  medical 
knowledge  was  about  on  a  par  with  that  of  Sir  Gervaisc. 
"  I  didn't  think  even  a  doctor  would  dare  to  hold  such  a  doc- 
trine! As  for  the  chaplain,  to  him  he  laid  down  the  princi- 
ple that  religion  and  medicine  never  worked  well  together. 
He  said  religion  was  an  *  alterative,'  and  would  neutralize  a 
salt  as  quick  as  fire." 

"  He's  a  great  vagabond,  that  Magrath,  when  he  gets  hold 
of  a  young  hand,  sir;  and  I  wish  with  all  my  heart  the  Pre- 
tender had  him,  with  two  or  three  pounds  of  his  favorite 
medicines  with  him — I  think,  between  the  two,  England 
might  reap  some  advantage.  Greenly. — Now,  to  my  notion, 
Wychecombe,  the  Blenheim  would  make  better  weather,  if 
her  masts  were  shortened  at  least  two  feet." 

"Perhaps  she  might.  Sir  Gervaise;  but  would  she  be  as 
certain  a  ship,  in  coming  into  action  in  light  winds  and  at 
critical  moments?" 

"Umph!  It's  time  for  us  old  fellows  to  look  about  us, 
Greenly,  when  the  boys  begin  to  reason  on  a  line  of  battle! 
Don't  blush,  Wychecombe;  don't  blush.  Your  remark  was 
sensible,  and  shows  reflection.  No  country  can  ever  have  a 
powerful  marine,  or  one  likely  to  produce  much  influence  in 
her  wars,  that  does  not  pay  rigid  attention  to  the  tactics  of 
fleets.  Your  frigate  actions  and  sailing  of  single  ships  are 
well  enough  as  drill;  but  the  great  practice  must  be  in 
squadron.  Ten  heavy  ships,  in  ^00^  fleet  discipline,  and 
kept  at  sea,  will  do  more  than  a  hundred  single  cruisers,  in 
establishing  and  maintaining  discipline;  and  it  is  only  by 
using  vessels  together  that  we  find  out  what  both  ships  and 
men  can  do.  Now,  we  owe  the  success  of  this  day  to  our 
practice  of  sailing  in  close  order,  and  in  knowing  how  to 
keep  our  stations;  else  would  six  ships  never  have  been  able 
to  carry  away  the  palm  of  victory  from  twelve — palm! — Ay, 


430  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

that's  the  very  word,  Greenly,  I  was  trying  to  think  of  this 
morning.  Daly's  paddy  should  have  had  a  palm-branch  in 
its  hand,  as  an  emblem  of  victory." 


CHAPTER   XXVI. 

"  He  that  has  sailed  upon  the  dark-blue  sea, 

Has  viewed  at  times,  I  ween,  a  full  fair  sight, 
When  the  fresh  breeze  is  fair  as  breeze  may  be, 

The  white  sail  set,  the  gallant  frigate  tight  ; 

Mast,  spires,  and  strand,  retiring  to  the  sight, 
The  glorious  main  expanding  o'er  the  bow. 

The  convoy  spread  like  wild  swans  in  their  flight, 
The  dullest  sailer  waring  bravely  now. 
So  gaily  curl  the  waves  before  each  dashing  prow." 

Byron. 

As  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes'  active  mind  was  liable  to  such  sud- 
den mutations  of  thought  as  that  described  in  the  close  of 
the  last  chapter,  Greenly  neither  smiled  nor  dwelt  on  the 
subject  at  all ;  he  simply  pointed  out  to  his  superior  the  fact 
that  they  were  now  abreast  of  the  Thunderer,  and  desired 
to  know  whether  it  was  his  pleasure  to  proceed  any  further. 

"To  the  Carnatic,  Greenly,  if  Sir  Wycherly  will  have  the 
goodness  to  shape  his  course  thither.  I  have  a  word  to  say 
to  my  friend  Parker,  before  we  sleep  to-night.  Give  us 
room,  however,  to  look  at  Morganic's  fancies,  for  I  never 
pass  his  ship  without  learning  something  new.  Lord  Mor- 
ganic's vessel  is  a  good  school  for  us  old  fellows  to  attend 
—hey!  Greenly?" 

"The  Achilles  is  certainly  a  model  vessel  in  some  re- 
spects. Sir  Gervaise,  though  I  flatter  myself  the  Plantage- 
nets  have  no  great  occasion  to  imitate  her,  in  order  to  gain 
a  character." 

"  Vou  imitate  Morganic  in  order  to  know  how  to  keep  a 
ship  in  order! — Poh!  let  Morganic  come  to  school  to  you. 
Yet  the  fellow  is  not  bashful  in  battle  neither;  keeps  his 
station  well,  and  makes  himself  both  heard  and  felt.  Ah! 
there  he  is,  flourishing  his  hat  on  the  poop,  and  wondering 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  431 

what  the  deuce  Sir  Jarvy's  after,  now!  Sheer  in,  Wyche- 
combe,  and  let  us  hear  what  he  has  to  say." 

"  Good  evening,  Sir  Gervaise,"  called  out  the  earl,  as 
usual  taking  the  initiative  in  the  discourse ;  "  I  was  in  hopes, 
when  I  saw  your  flag  in  the  boat,  that  you  were  going  to  do 
me  the  favor  to  open  a  bottle  of  claret,  and  to  taste  some 
fruit,  I  have  still  standing  on  the  table." 

"  I  thank  you,  my  lord,  but  business  before  pleasure.  We 
have  not  been  idle  to-day,  though  to-morrow  shall  be  still 
more  busy.  How  does  the  Achilles  steer,  now  her  foremast 
is  in  its  place?" 

"Yaws  like  a  fellow  with  his  grog  aboard.  Sir  Gervaise, 
on  my  honor !  We  shall  never  do  anything  with  her,  until 
you  consent  to  let  us  stay  her  spars  in  our  own  fashion. 
Do  you  intend  to  send  me  Daly  back,  or  am  I  to  play  first 
lieutenant  myself,  admiral?" 

"  Daly's  shipped  for  the  cruise,  and  you  must  do  as  well 
as  you  can  without  him.  If  you  find  yourself  without  a 
second  astern,  in  the  course  of  the  night,  do  not  fancy  she 
has  gone  to  the  bottom.  Keep  good  lookouts,  and  pay  atten- 
tion to  signals." 

As  Sir  Gervaise  waved  his  hand,  the  young  noble  did  not 
venture  to  reply,  much  less  to  ask  a  question,  though  there 
was  not  a  little  speculation  on  the  poop  of  the  Achilles,  con- 
cerning the  meaning  of  his  words.  The  boat  moved  on, 
and  five  minutes  later  Sir  Gervaise  was  on  the  quarter-deck 
of  the  Carnatic. 

Parker  received  the  commander-in-chief,  hat  in  hand,  with 
a  solicitude  and  anxiety  that  were  constitutional,  perhaps, 
and  which  no  consciousness  of  deserving  could  entirely  ap- 
pease. Habit,  however,  had  its  share  in  it,  since,  accus- 
tomed to  defer  to  rank  from  boyhood,  and  the  architect  of 
his  own  "  little  fortune,"  he  had  ever  attached  more  impor- 
tance to  the  commendation  of  his  superior  than  was  usual 
with  those  who  had  other  props  to  lean  on  than  their  own 
services.     As  soon  as  the  honors  of  the  quarter-deck  had 


432  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

been  duly  paid — for  these  Sir  Gervaise  never  neglected 
himself,  nor  allowed  others  to  neglect — the  vice-admiral 
intimated  to  Captain  Parker  a  desire  to  see  him  in  his  cabin, 
requesting  Greenly  and  Wycherly  to  accompany  them  below. 

"  Upon  my  word,  Parker,"  commenced  Sir  Gen^aise,  look- 
ing around  him  at  the  air  of  singular  domestic  comfort  that 
the  after-cabin  of  the  ship  presented,  *'  you  have  the  knack 
of  taking  a  house  to  sea  with  you,  that  no  other  captain  of 
the  fleet  possesses!  No  finery,  no  Morganics,  but  a  plain, 
wholesome,  domestic  look,  that  might  make  a  man  believe 
he  was  in  his  father's  house.  I  would  give  a  thousand 
pounds  if  my  vagabonds  could  give  the  cabin  of  the  Plan- 
tagenet  such  a  Bowldero  look,  now!" 

"Less  than  a  hundred,  sir,  have  done  the  little  you  see 
here.  Mrs.  Parker  makes  it  a  point  to  look  to  those  mat- 
ters, herself,  and  in  that  lies  the  whole  secret,  perhaps.  A 
good  wife  is  a  great  blessing.  Sir  Gervaise,  though  you  have 
never  been  able  to  persuade  yourself  into  the  notion,  I 
believe." 

"I  hardly  think,  Parker,  the  wife  can  do  it  all.  Now 
there's  Stowel,  Bluewater's  captain,  he  is  married  as  well  as 
yourself — nay,  by  George,  I've  heard  the  old  fellow  say  he 
had  as  much  wife  as  any  man  in  his  majesty's  service — but 
his  cabin  looks  like  a  cobbler's  barn,  and  his  stateroom  like 
a  soldier's  bunk!  When  we  were  lieutenants  together  in  the 
Eurydice,  Parker,  your  stateroom  had  just  the  same  air  of 
comfort  about  it  that  this  cabin  has  at  this  instant.  No — 
no — it's  in  the  grain,  man,  or  it  would  never  show  itself,  in 
all  times  and  places." 

"You  forget,  Sir  Gervaise,  that  when  I  had  the  honor  to 
be  your  messmate  in  the  Eurydice  I  was  a  married  man." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  my  old  friend ;  so  you  were,  indeed  I 
Why,  that  was  a  confounded  long  time  ago,  hey!  Parker?" 

"It  was,  truly,  sir;  but  I  was  poor,  and  could  not  afford 
the  extravagances  of  a  single  life,  /married  for  the  sake 
of  economy,  Admiral  Oakes." 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  433 

"And  love,"  answered  Sir  Gervaise,  laughing.  "I'll 
warrant  you,  Greenly,  that  he  persuaded  Mrs.  Parker  into 
that  notion,  whether  true  or  not.  I'll  warrant  you,  he  didn't 
tell  her  he  married  for  so  sneaking  a  thing  as  economy!  I 
should  like  to  see  your  stateroom  now,  Parker." 

"Nothing  easier,  Sir  Gervaise,"  answered  the  captain, 
rising  and  opening  the  door.  "  Here  it  is,  sir,  though  little 
worthy  the  attention  of  the  owner  of  Bowldero." 

"A  notable  place,  truly! — and  with  a  housewife-look 
about  it  that  must  certainly  remind  you  of  Mrs.  Parker — 
unless,  indeed,  that  picture  at  the  foot  of  your  cot  puts  other 
notions  into  your  head!  What  young  hussy  have  you  got 
there,  my  old  Eurydice? — Hey!  Parker?" 

"That  is  a  picture  of  my  faithful  wife.  Sir  Gervaise;  a 
proper  companion,  I  hope,  of  my  cruise?" 

"  Hey  1  What,  that  young  thing  your  wife,  Parker !  How 
the  d — 1  came  she  to  have  you?" 

"  Ah,  Sir  Gervaise,  she  is  a  young  thing  no  longer,  but 
is  well  turned  toward  sixty.  The  picture  was  taken  when 
she  was  a  bride,  and  is  all  the  dearer  to  me,  now  that  I 
know  the  original  has  shared  my  fortunes  so  long.  I  never 
look  at  it,  without  remembering,  with  gratitude,  how  much 
she  thinks  of  me  in  our  cruises,  and  how  often  she  prays  for 
our  success.  You  are  not  forgotten,  either,  sir,  in  her 
prayers." 

"I!"  exclaimed  the  vice-admiral,  quite  touched  at  the 
earnest  simplicity  of  the  other.  "  D'ye  hear  that,  Greenly? 
I'll  engage,  now,  this  lady  is  a  good  woman — a  really  excel- 
lent creature — just  such  another  as  my  poor  sainted  mother 
was,  and  a  blessing  to  all  around  her!  Give  me  your  hand, 
Parker ;  and  when  you  write  next  to  your  wife,  tell  her  from 
me,  God  bless  her;  and  say  all  you  think  a  man  ought  to 
say  on  such  an  occasion.  And  now  to  business.  Let  us 
seat  ourselves  in  this  snug  domestic-looking  cabin  of  yours, 
and  talk  our  matters  over." 

The  two  captains  and  Wycherly  followed  the  vice-admiral 
28 


434  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

into  the  after-cabin,  where  the  latter  seated  himself  on  a 
small  sofa,  while  the  others  took  chairs,  in  respectful  atti- 
tudes near  him,  no  familiarity  or  jocularity  on  the  part  of  a 
naval  superior  ever  lessening  the  distance  between  him  and 
those  who  hold  subordinate  commissio?is — a  fact  that  legisla- 
tors would  do  well  to  remember,  when  graduating  rank  in  a 
service.  As  soon  as  all  were  placed,  Sir  Gervaise  opened 
his  mind. 

"  I  have  a  delicate  piece  of  duty,  Captain  Parker,"  he 
commenced,  "  which  I  wish  intrusted  to  yourself.  You  must 
know  that  we  handled  the  ship  which  escaped  us  this  morn- 
ing, by  running  down  into  her  own  line,  pretty  roughly,  in 
every  respect;  besides  cutting  two  of  her  masts  out  of  her. 
This  ship,  as  you  may  have  seen,  has  got  up  jury-masts 
already;  but  they  are  spars  that  can  only  be  intended  to 
carry  her  into  port.  Monsieur  de  Vervillin  is  not  the  man 
I  take  him  to  be,  if  he  intends  to  leave  the  quarrel  between 
us  where  it  is.  Still  he  cannot  keep  that  crippled  ship  in 
his  fleet,  any  more  than  we  can  keep  our  prize,  and  I  make 
no  doubt  he  will  send  her  off  to  Cherbourg  as  soon  as  it  is 
dark;  most  probably  accompanied  by  one  of  his  corvettes, 
or  perhaps  by  a  frigate." 

"Yes,  Sir  Gervaise,"  returned  Parker  thoughtfully,  as 
soon  as  his  superior  ceased  to  speak;  "what  you  predict  is 
quite  likely  to  happen." 

"It  must  happen,  Parker,  the  wind  blowing  directly  for 
his  haven.  Now,  you  may  easily  imagine  what  I  want  of 
the  Carnatic." 

"I  suppose  I  understand  you,  sir; — and  yet,  if  I  might 
presume  to  express  a  wish " 

"  Speak  out,  old  boy — you're  talking  to  a  friend.  I  have 
chosen  you  to  serve  you,  both  as  one  I  like,  and  as  the  old- 
est captain  in  the  fleet.  Whoever  catches  that  ship  will 
hear  more  of  it." 

"Very  true,  sir;  but  are  we  not  likely  to  have  more  work, 
here?  and  would  it  be  altogether  prudent  to  send  so  fine  a 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  435 

ship  as  the  Carnatic  away,  when  the  enemy  will  count  ten 
to  six,  even  if  she  remain?" 

"All  this  has  been  thought  of;  and  I  suppose  your  own 
feeling  has  been  anticipated.  You  think  it  will  be  more 
honorable  to  your  vessel  to  keep  her  place  in  the  line  than 
to  take  a  ship  already  half  beaten." 

"  That's  it,  indeed,  Sir  Gervaise.  I  do  confess  some  such 
thoughts  were  crossing  my  mind." 

"  Then  see  how  easy  it  is  to  rowse  them  out  of  it.  I  can- 
not fight  the  French,  in  this  moderate  weather,  without  a 
reinforcement.  When  the  rear  joins,  we  shall  be  just  ten 
to  ten,  without  you,  and  with  you,  should  be  eleven  to  ten. 
Now,  I  confess,  I  don't  wish  the  least  odds,  and  shall  send 
away  somebody ;  especially  when  I  feel  certain  a  noble  two- 
decked  ship  will  be  the  reward.  If  a  frigate  accompany  the 
crippled  fellow,  you'll  have  your  hands  full,  and  a  very  fair 
fight;  and  should  you  get  either,  it  will  be  a  handsome 
thing.     What  say  you  now,  Parker?" 

"  I  begin  to  think  better  of  the  plan,  Sir  Gervaise,  and 
am  grateful  for  the  selection.  I  wish,  however,  I  knew  your 
own  precise  wishes — I've  always  found  it  safe  to  follow 
them,  sir." 

"  Here  they  are,  then.  Get  four  or  five  sets  of  the  sharp- 
est eyes  you  have,  and  send  them  aloft  to  keep  a  steady  look 
on  your  chap,  while  there  is  light  enough  to  be  certain  of 
him.  In  a  little  while,  they'll  be  able  to  recognize  him  in 
the  dark;  and  by  keeping  your  night  glasses  well  levelled 
he  can  scarcely  slip  off,  without  your  missing  him.  The 
moment  he  is  gone,  ware  short  round,  and  make  the  best  of 
your  way  for  Cape  la  Hogue,  or  Alderney ;  you  will  go  three 
feet  to  his  two,  and,  my  life  on  it,  by  daylight  you'll  have 
him  to  windward  of  you,  and  then  you'll  be  certain  of  him. 
Wait  for  no  signals  from  me,  but  be  off,  as  soon  as  it  is 
dark.  When  your  work  is  done,  make  the  best  of  your  way 
to  the  nearest  English  port,  and  clap  a  Scotchman  on  your 
shoulder  to  keep  the  king's  sword  from  chafing  it.     They 


43^  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

thought  me  fit  for  knighthood  at  three-and-twenty,  and  the 
deuce  is  in  it,  Parker,  if  you  are  not  worthy  of  it  at  three- 
and-sixty !" 

"Ah!  Sir  Gervaise,  everything  you  undertook  succeeded! 
You  never  yet  failed  in  any  expedition." 

"That  has  come  from  attempting  much.  Viy plans  have 
often  failed;  but,  as  something  good  has  generally  followed 
from  them,  I  have  the  credit  of  designing  to  do  exactly  what 
I've  done." 

Then  followed  a  long,  detailed  discourse,  on  the  subject 
before  them,  in  which  Greenly  joined;  the  latter  making 
several  useful  suggestions  to  the  veteran  commander  of  the 
Carnatic.  After  passing  quite  an  hour  in  the  cabin  of 
Parker,  Sir  Gervaise  took  his  leave  and  re-entered  his  barge. 
It  was  now  so  dark  that  small  objects  could  not  be  distin- 
guished a  hundred  yards,  and  the  piles  of  ships,  as  the  boat 
glided  past  them,  resembled  black  hillocks,  with  clouds 
floating  among  their  tree-like  and  waving  spars.  No  cap- 
tain presumed  to  hail  the  commander-in-chief,  as  he  rowed 
down  the  line,  again,  with  the  exception  of  the  peer  of  the 
realm.  He  indeed  had  always  something  to  say;  and,  as 
he  had  been  conjecturing  what  could  induce  the  vice-admi- 
tal  to  pay  so  long  a  visit  to  the  Carnatic,  he  could  not  refrain 
from  uttering  as  much  aloud,  when  he  heard  the  measured 
stroke  of  the  oars  from  the  returning  barge. 

"We  shall  all  be  jealous  of  this  compliment  to  Captain 
Parker,  Sir  Gervaise,"  he  called  out,  "  unless  your  favors 
are  occasionally  extended  to  some  of  us  less  worthy  ones." 

"Ay — ay — Morganic,  you'll  be  remembered  in  proper 
time.  In  the  mean  while,  keep  your  people's  eyes  open,  so 
as  not  to  lose  sight  of  the  French.  We  shall  have  some- 
thing to  say  to  them  in  the  morning." 

"  Spare  us  a  night  action,  if  possible,  Sir  Gervaise!  I  do 
detest  fighting  when  sleepy ;  and  I  like  to  see  my  enemy, 
too.  As  much  as  you  please  in  the  daytime;  but  a  quiei 
night,  I  do  beseech  you,  sir." 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  437 

"  1*11  warrant  you,  now,  if  the  opera,  or  Ranelagh,  or  a 
drum,  or  a  masquerade,  were  inviting  you,  Morgan ic,  you'd 
think  but  little  of  your  pillow!"  answered  Sir  Gervaise 
drily ;  "  whatever  you  do  yourself,  my  lord,  don't  let  the 
Achilles  get  asleep  on  duty;  I  may  have  need  of  her  to- 
morrow. Give  way,  Wychecombe,  give  way,  and  let  us  get 
home  again." 

In  fifteen  minutes  from  that  instant.  Sir  Gervaise  was 
once  more  on  the  poop  of  the  Plantagenet,  and  the  barge  in 
its  place  on  deck.  Greenly  was  attending  to  the  duties  of 
his  ship,  and  Bunting  stood  in  readiness  to  circulate  such 
orders  as  it  might  suit  the  commander-in-chief  to  give. 

It  was  now  nine  o'clock,  and  it  was  not  easy  to  distin- 
guish objects  on  the  ocean,  even  as  large  as  a  ship,  at  the 
distance  of  half  a  league.  By  the  aid  of  the  glasses,  how- 
ever, a  vigilant  lookout  was  kept  on  the  French  vessels, 
which,  by  this  time,  were  quite  two  leagues  distant,  drawing 
more  ahead.  It  was  necessary  to  fill  away,  in  order  to  close 
with  them,  and  a  night  signal  was  made  to  that  effect.  The 
whole  British  line  braced  forward  their  main-yards,  as  it 
might  be,  by  a  common  impulse,  and,  had  there  been  one 
there  of  sufficiently  acute  senses,  he  might  have  heard  all 
S'lr  of  the  main-topsails  flapping  at  the  same  instant.  As  a 
matter  of  course  the  vessels  started  ahead,  and,  the  order 
being  to  follow  the  vice-admiral  in  a  close  line  ahead,  when 
the  Flantagenet  edged  off,  so  as  to  bring  the  wind  abeam, 
each  vessel  did  the  same,  in  succession,  or  as  soon  as  in  the 
commander-in-chief's  wake,  as  if  guided  by  instinct.  About 
ten  minutes  later,  the  Carnatic,  to  the  surprise  of  those  who 
witnessed  the  manoeuvre  in  the  Achilles,  wore  short  round, 
and  set  studding-sails  on  her  starboard  side,  steering  large. 
The  darkest  portion  of  the  horizon  being  that  which  lay  to 
the  eastward,  or  in  the  direction  of  the  continent,  in  twenty 
minutes  the  pyramid  of  her  shadowy  outline  was  swallowed 
in  the  gloom.  All  this  time.  La  Victoire,  with  the  Druid 
leading  and  towing,  kept  upon  a  bowline;  and  an  hour  later. 


438  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

when  Sir  Gervaise  found  himself  abeam  of  the  French  line 
again,  and  half  a  league  to  windward  of  it,  no  traces  were  to 
be  seen  of  the  three  ships  last  mentioned. 

"  So  far,  all  goes  well,  gentlemen,"  observed  the  vice- 
admiral  to  the  group  around  him  on  the  poop ;  "  and  we  will 
now  try  to  count  the  enemy,  to  make  certain  /le,  too,  has  no 
stragglers  out  to  pick  up  waifs.  Greenly,  try  that  glass;  it 
is  set  for  the  night,  and  your  eyes  are  the  best  we  have.  Be 
particular  in  looking  for  the  fellow  under  jury-masts." 

"I  make  out  but  ten  ships  in  the  line,  Sir  Gervaise,"  an- 
swered the  captain,  after  a  long  examination;  "of  course 
the  crippled  ship  must  have  gone  to  leeward.  Of  /ler,  cer- 
tainly, I  can  find  no  traces." 

"You  will  oblige  me,  Sir  Wycherly,  by  seeing  whait  you 
can  make  out,  in  the  same  way." 

After  a  still  longer  examination  than  that  of  the  captain, 
Wycherly  made  the  same  report,  adding  that  he  thought  he 
also  missed  the  frigate  that  had  been  nearest  Le  Foudroyant, 
repeating  her  signals  throughout  the  day.  This  circum- 
stance gratified  Sir  Gervaise,  as  he  was  pleased  to  find  his 
prognostics  came  true,  and  he  was  not  sorry  to  be  rid  of  one 
of  the  enemy's  light  cruisers;  a  species  of  vessel  that  often 
proved  embarrassing,  after  a  decided  affair,  even  to  the  con- 
queror. 

"I  think,  Sir  Gervaise,"  Wycherly  modestly  added,  "that 
the  French  have  boarded  their  tacks,  and  are  pressing  up  to 
windward  to  near  us.  Did  it  not  appear  so  to  you.  Captain 
Greenly?" 

"  Not  at  all.  If  they  carry  courses,  the  sails  have  been 
set  within  the  last  five  minutes — ha!  Sir  Gervaise,  that  is 
an  indication  of  a  busy  night!" 

As  he  spoke,  Greenly  pointed  to  the  place  where  the 
French  admiral  was  known  to  be,  where  at  that  instant  ap- 
peared a  double  row  of  lights;  proving  that  the  batteries  had 
their  lanterns  lit,  and  showing  a  disposition  to  engage.  In 
less  than  a  minute  the  whole  French  line  was  to  be  traced 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  439 

along  the  sea,  by  the  double  rows  of  illumination,  the  light 
resembling  that  which  is  seen  through  the  window  of  a 
room  that  has  a  bright  fire,  rather  than  one  in  which  lamps 
or  candles  are  actually  visible.  As  this  was  just  the  species 
of  engagement  in  which  the  English  had  much  to  risk,  and 
little  to  gain,  Sir  Gervaise  immediately  gave  orders  to  brace 
forward  the  yards,  to  board  fore  and  main  tacks,  and  to  set 
topgallantsails.  As  a  matter  of  course,  the  ships  astern 
made  sail  in  the  same  manner,  and  hauled  up  on  taut  bow- 
lines, following  the  admiral. 

"This  is  not  our  play,"  coolly  remarked  Sir  Gervaise; 
"  a  crippled  ship  would  drop  directly  into  their  arms,  and 
as  for  any  success  at  long  shot,  in  a  two-to-one  fight,  it  is 
not  to  be  looked  for.  No — no — Monsieur  de  Vervillin, 
show  us  your  teeth  if  you  will,  and  a  pretty  sight  it  is,  but 
you  do  not  draw  a  shot  from  me.  I  hope  the  order  to  show 
no  lights  is  duly  attended  to." 

"  I  do  not  think  there  is  a  light  visible  from  any  ship  in 
the  fleet.  Sir  Gervaise,"  answered  Bunting,  "  though  we  are  so 
near  there  can  be  no  great  difficulty  in  telling  where  we  are." 

"  All  but  the  Carnatic  and  the  prize.  Bunting.  The  more 
fuss  they  make  with  us,  the  less  will  they  think  of  them." 

It  is  probable  the  French  admiral  had  been  deceived  by 
the  near  approach  of  his  enemy,  for  whose  prowess  he  had 
a  profound  respect.  He  had  made  his  preparations  in  ex- 
pectation of  an  attack,  but  he  did  not  open  his  fire,  although 
heavy  shot  would  certainly  have  told  with  effect.  Indis- 
posed to  the  uncertainty  of  a  night  action,  he  declined 
bringing  it  on,  and  the  lights  disappeared  from  his  ports  an 
hour  later;  at  that  time  the  English  ships,  by  carrying  sail 
harder  than  was  usual  in  so  stiff  a  breeze,  found  themselves 
out  of  gunshot,  on  the  weather-bow  of  their  enemies.  Then, 
and  not  till  then,  did  Sir  Gervaise  reduce  his  canvas,  hav- 
ing, by  means  of  his  glasses,  first  ascertained  that  the 
French  had  again  hauled  up  their  courses,  and  were  moving 
along  at  a  very  easy  rate  of  sailing. 


440  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

It  was  now  near  midnight,  and  Sir  Gervaise  prepared  to 
go  below.  Previously  to  quitting  the  deck,  however,  he 
gave  very  explicit  orders  to  Greenly,  who  transmitted  them 
to  the  first  lieutenant,  that  officer  or  the  captain  intending 
to  be  on  the  lookout  through  the  night;  the  movements  of 
the  whole  squadron  being  so  dependent  on  those  of  the  flag- 
ship. The  vice-admiral  then  retired,  and  went  coolly  to 
bed.  He  was  not  a  man  to  lose  his  rest,  because  an  enemy 
was  just  out  of  gunshot.  Accustomed  to  be  manoeuvring  in 
front  of  hostile  fleets,  the  situation  had  lost  its  novelty,  and 
he  had  so  much  confidence  in  the  practice  of  his  captains 
that  he  well  knew  nothing  could  occur  so  long  as  his  orders 
were  obeyed ;  to  doubt  the  latter  would  have  been  heresy  in 
his  eyes.  In  professional  nonchalance,  no  man  exceeded 
our  vice-admiral.  Blow  high,  or  blow  low,  it  never  dis- 
turbed the  economy  of  his  cabin  life,  beyond  what  unavoid- 
ably was  connected  with  the  comfort  of  his  ship;  nor  did 
any  prospect  of  battle  cause  a  meal  to  vary  a  minute  in  time 
or  a  particle  in  form,  until  the  bulkheads  were  actually 
knocked  down  and  the  batteries  were  cleared  for  action. 
Although  excitable  in  trifles,  and  sometimes  a  little  irritable, 
Sir  Gervaise,  in  the  way  of  his  profession,  was  a  great  man 
on  great  occasions.  His  temperament  was  sanguine,  and 
his  spirit  both  decided  and  bold;  and,  in  common  with  all 
such  men  who  see  the  truth  at  all,  when  he  did  see  it,  he 
saw  it  so  clearly  as  to  throw  all  the  doubts  that  beset  minds 
of  a  less  masculine  order  into  the  shade.  On  the  present 
occasion,  he  was  sure  nothing  could  well  occur  to  disturb 
his  rest;  and  he  took  it  with  the  composure  of  one  on  terra 
firma^  and  in  the  security  of  peace.  Unlike  those  who  are 
unaccustomed  to  scenes  of  excitement,  he  quietly  undressed 
himself,  and  his  head  was  no  sooner  on  its  pillow  than  he 
fell  into  a  profound  sleep. 

It  would  have  been  a  curious  subject  of  observation  to  an 
inexperienced  person,  to  note  the  manner  in  which  the  two 
fleets  manoeuvred  throughout  that  night.     After  several  hours 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  441 

of  ineffectual  efforts  to  bring  their  enemies  fairly  within 
reach  of  their  guns,  after  the  moon  had  risen,  the  French 
gave  the  matter  up  for  a  time,  shortening  sail  while  most 
of  their  superior  officers  caught  a  little  rest. 

The  sun  was  just  rising,  as  Galleygo  laid  his  hand  on  the 
shoulder  of  the  vice-admiral,  agreeably  to  orders  given  the 
previous  night.  The  touch  sufficed.  Sir  Gervaise  being 
wide  awake  in  an  instant.  "  Well,"  he  said,  rising  to  a 
sitting  attitude,  and  putting  the  question  which  first  occurs 
to  a  seaman,  "how's  the  weather?" 

"A  good  topgallant  breeze.  Sir  Jarvy,  and  just  what's 
this  ship's  play.  If  you'd  only  let  her  out,  and  on  them 
Johnny  Crapauds,  she'd  be  down  among  'em,  in  half  an 
hour,  like  a  hawk  upon  a  chicken.  I  ought  to  report  to 
your  honor  that  the  last  chicken  will  be  dished  for  break- 
fast, unless  we  gives  an  order  to  the  gunroom  steward  to  turn 
us  over  some  of  his  birds,  as  pay  for  what  the  pigs  eat; 
which  were  real  capons," 

"  Why,  you  pirate,  you  would  not  have  me  commit  a  rob- 
bery on  the  high  seas,  would  ye.-*" 

"  What  robbery  would  it  be  to  order  the  gunroom  to  sell 
us  some  poultry?  Lord!  Sir  Jarvy,  I'm  as  far  from  wishing 
to  take  a  thing  without  an  order,  as  the  gunner's  yeoman ; 
but  let  Mr.  Atwood  put  it  in  black  and  white." 

"Tush!"  interrupted  the  master.  "  How  did  the  French 
bear  from  us,  when  you  were  last  on  deck?" 

"  Why,  there  they  is,  Sir  Jarvy,"  answered  Galleygo, 
drawing  the  curtain  from  before  the  stateroom  window,  and 
allowing  the  vice-admiral  to  see  the  rear  of  the  French  line 
for  himself,  by  turning  half  round;  "and  just  where  we 
wants  'em.  Their  leading  ship  a  little  abaft  our  lee-beam, 
distant  one  league.     That's  what  I  calls  satisfactory,  now." 

"  Ay,  that  is  a  good  position.  Master  Galleygo.  Was  the 
prize  in  sight,  or  were  you  too  chicken-headed  to  look." 

"I  chicken-headed!  Well,  Sir  Jarvy,  of  all  characters 
and  descriptions  of  me^  that  your  honor  has  seen  fit  to  put 


442  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

abroad,  this  is  the  most  unjustest;  chickens  being  a  food  I 
never  thinks  on,  off  soundings.  Pig-headed  you  might  in 
reason  call  me,  Sir  Jarvy;  for  I  do  looks  arter  the  pigs, 
which  is  the  only  real  standby  in  a  ship;  but  I  never  dreams 
of  a  chicken,  except  for  your  happetite.  When  they  was 
eight  on  'em " 

"Was  the  prize  in  sight.'"'  demanded  Sir  Gervaise,  a  little 
sharply. 

"No,  Sir  Jarvy;  she  had  disappeared,  and  the  Druid  with 
her.  But  this  isn't  all,  sir;  for  they  does  say  some'at  has 
befallen  the  Carnatic,  she  having  gone  out  of  our  line,  like 
a  binnacle  lamp  at  eight  bells." 

"Ay,  she  is  not  visible,  either." 

"Not  so  much  as  a  hencoop,  Sir  Jarvy!  We  all  wonders 
what  has  become  of  Captain  Parker;  no  sign  of  him  or  of 
his  ship  is  to  be  found  on  the  briny  ocean.  The  young 
gentlemen  of  the  watch  laugh,  and  say  she  must  have  gone 
up  in  a  waterspout,  but  they  laughs  so  much  at  misfortins, 
generally,  that  I  never  minds  'em." 

"  Have  you  had  a  good  lookout  at  the  ocean,  this  morn- 
ing. Master  Galleygo,"  asked  Sir  Gervaise,  drawing  his  head 
out  of  a  basin  of  water,  for,  by  this  time,  he  was  half  dressed, 
and  making  his  preparations  for  the  razor.  "  You  used  to 
have  an  eye  for  a  chase,  w^hen  we  were  in  a  frigate,  and  ought 
to  be  able  to  tell  me  if  Bluewater  is  in  sight." 

"Admiral  Blue! — Well,  Sir  Jarvy,  it  is  remarkable,  but  I 
had  just  rubbed  his  division  out  of  my  log,  and  forgotten 
all  about  it.  There  was  a  handful  of  craft,  or  so,  off  here 
to  the  nor'ard,  at  daylight,  but  I  never  thought  it  was  Ad- 
miral Blue,  it  being  more  nat'ral  to  suppose  him  in  his 
place,  as  usual,  in  the  rear  of  our  own  line.  Let  me  see, 
Sir  Jarvy,  how  many  ships  has  we  absent  under  Admiral 
Blue?" 

"Why,  the  five  two-deckers  of  his  own  division,  to  be 
sure,  besides  the  Ranger  and  the  Gnat.     Seven  sail  in  all." 

"Yes,  that's  just  it!     Well,  your  honor,  there  was  five 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  443 

sail  to  be  seen,  out  here  to  the  nor'ard,  as  I  told  you,  and, 
sure  enough,  it  may  have  been  Admiral  Blue,  with  all  his 
craft." 

By  this  time,  Sir  Gervaise  had  his  face  covered  with  lather, 
but  he  forgot  the  circumstance  in  a  moment.  As  the  wind 
was  at  the  northwest,  and  the  Plantagenet  was  on  the  lar- 
board tack,  looking  in  the  direction  of  the  Bill  of  Portland, 
though  much  too  far  to  the  southward  to  allow  the  land  to 
be  seen,  his  own  larboard  quarter-gallery  window  commanded 
a  good  view  of  the  whole  horizon  to  windward.  Crossing 
over  from  the  starboard  stateroom,  which  he  occupied  ex 
officio^  he  opened  the  window  in  question,  and  took  a  look 
for  himself.  There,  sure  enough,  was  visible  a  squadron  of 
five  ships,  in  close  order,  edging  leisurely  down  on  the  two 
lines,  under  their  topsails,  and  just  near  enough  to  allow  it 
to  be  ascertained  that  their  courses  were  not  set.  This  sight 
produced  a  sudden  change  in  all  the  vice-admiral's  move- 
ments. The  business  of  the  toilet  was  resumed  in  haste, 
and  the  beard  was  mowed  with  a  slashing  hand,  that  might 
have  been  hazardous  in  the  motion  of  a  ship,  but  for  the 
long  experience  of  a  sailor.  This  important  part  of  the 
operation  was  scarcely  through,  when  Locker  announced 
the  presence  of  Captain  Greenly  in  the  main  cabin. 

"What  now.  Greenly? — What  now?"  called  out  the  vice- 
admiral,  puffing  as  he  withdrew  his  head  again  from 
the  basin — "  What  now,  Greenly  ?  Any  news  from  Blue- 
water?" 

"I  am  happy  to  tell  you.  Sir  Gervaise,  he  has  been  in 
sight  more  than  an  hour,  and  is  closing  with  us,  though 
shyly  and  slowly.  I  would  not  let  you  be  called,  as  all  was 
right,  and  I  knew  sleep  was  necessary  to  a  clear  head." 

"You  have  done  quite  right.  Greenly;  God  willing,  I  in- 
tend this  to  be  a  busy  day!  The  French  must  see  our  rear 
division?" 

"  Beyond  a  doubt,  sir,  but  they  show  no  signs  of  making 
off.     M.  de  Vervillin  will  fight,  I  feel  certain;  though  the 


444  T^E    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

experience  of  yesterday  may  render  him  a  little  shy  as  to 
the  mode." 

"And  his  crippled  ship? — Old  Parker's  friend — I  cake  it 
she  is  not  visible." 

"You  were  quite  right  in  your  conjecture,  Sir  Gervaise; 
the  crippled  ship  is  off,  as  is  one  of  the  frigates,  no  doubt 
to  see  her  in.  Blewet,  too,  has  gone  well  to  windward  of 
the  French,  though  he  can  fetch  into  no  anchorage  short  of 
Portsmouth,  if  this  breeze  stand." 

"  Any  haven  will  do.  Our  little  success  will  animate  the 
king's  party,  and  give  it  more  kdat^  perhaps,  than  it  really 
merits.  Let  there  be  no  delay  with  the  breakfast  this  morn- 
ing, Greenly;   it  will  be  a  busy  day." 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir,"  answered  the  captain,  in  the  sailor's  usual 
manner;  "//^^/has  been  seen  to  already,  as  I  have  expected 
as  much.  Admiral  Bluewater  keeps  his  ships  in  most  beau- 
tiful order,  sir!  I  do  not  think  the  Cassar,  which  leads,  is 
two  cable's-lengths  from  the  Dublin,  the  sternmost  vessel. 
He  is  driving  four-in-hand,  with  a  tight  rein,  too,  depend 
on  it,  sir." 

At  this  instant.  Sir  Gervaise  came  out  of  his  stateroom, 
his  coat  in  his  hand,  and  with  a  countenance  that  was 
thoughtful.  He  finished  dressing  with  an  abstracted  air, 
and  would  not  have  known  the  last  garment  was  on,  had  not 
Galleygo  given  a  violent  pull  on  its  skirts,  in  order  to 
smooth  the  cloth  about  the  shoulders. 

"  It  is  odd  that  Bluewater  should  come  down  nearly  before 
the  wind,  in  a  line  ahead,  and  not  in  a  line  abreast!"  Sir 
Gervaise  rejoined,  as  his  steward  did  this  office  for  him. 

"  Let  Admiral  Blue  alone,  for  doing  what's  right,"  put  in 
Galleygo,  in  his  usual  confident  and  self-possessed  manner. 
"By  keeping  his  ships  astern  of  hisself,  he  can  tell  where 
to  find  'em,  and  we  understands  from  experience,  if  Admiral 
Blue  knows  where  to  find  a  ship,  he  knows  how  to  use  her." 

Instead  of  rebuking  this  interference,  w^hich  went  a  little 
further  than  common,  Greenly  was  surprised  to  see  the  vice- 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  445 

admiral  look  his  steward  intently  in  the  face,  as  if  the  man 
had  expressed  some  shrewd  and  comprehensive  truth. 
Then,  turning  to  his  captain,  Sir  Gervaise  intimated  an  in- 
tention of  going  on  deck  to  survey  the  state  of  things  with 
his  own  eyes. 


CHAPTER   XXVII. 

Thou  shouldst  have  died,  O  high-soul'd  chief  ? 

In  those  bright  days  of  glory  fled, 
When  triumph  so  prevailed  o'er  grief. 

We  scarce  would  mourn  the  dead." 

Mrs.  Hemans. 

The  eventful  day  opened  with  most  of  the  glories  of  a  sum- 
mer's morning.  The  wind  alone  prevented  it  from  being 
one  of  the  finest  sunrisings  of  July.  That  continued  fresh, 
at  northwest,  and,  consequently,  cool  for  the  season.  The 
seas  of  the  southwest  gale  had  entirely  subsided,  and  were 
already  succeeded  by  the  regular  but  comparatively  trifling 
swell  of  the  new  breeze.  For  large  ships,  it  might  be  called 
smooth  water;  though  the  Driver  and  Active  showed  by 
their  pitching  and  unsteadiness,  and  even  the  two-deckers, 
by  their  waving  masts,  that  the  unquiet  ocean  was  yet  in 
motion.  The  wind  seemed  likely  to  stand,  and  was  what 
seamen  would  be  apt  to  call  a  good  six-knot  breeze. 

To  leeward,  still  distant  about  a  league,  lay  the  French 
vessels,  drawn  up  in  beautiful  array,  and  in  an  order  so 
close,  and  a  line  so  regular,  as  to  induce  the  belief  that  M. 
de  Vervillin  had  made  his  dispositions  to  receive  the  ex- 
pected attack  in  his  present  position.  All  his  main-topsails 
lay  flat  aback;  the  topgallantsails  were  flying  loose,  but 
with  buntlings  and  clewlines  hauled  up;  the  jibs  were  flut- 
tering to  leeward  of  their  booms,  and  the  courses  were  hang- 
ing in  festoons  beneath  their  yards.  This  was  gallant  fight- 
ing-canvas, and  it  excited  the  admiration  of  even  his 
enemies.     To  increase  this  feeling,  just  as  Sir  Gervaise's 


44^  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

foot  reached  the  poop,  the  whole  French  line  displayed  their 
ensigns,  and  Le  Foudroyant  fired  a  gun  to  windward. 

"Hey!  Greenly?"  exclaimed  the  English  commander-in- 
chief;  "this  is  a  manly  defiance,  and,  coming  from  M.  de 
Vervillin,  it  means  something!  He  wishes  to  take  the  day 
for  it;  though,  as  I  think  half  that  time  will  answer,  we  will 
wash  up  the  cups  before  we  go  at  it.  Make  the  signals, 
Bunting,  for  the  ships  to  heave  to,  and  then  to  get  their 
breakfasts,  as  fast  as  possible.  Steady  breeze  —  steady 
breeze.  Greenly,  and  all  we  want!" 

Five  minutes  later,  while  Sir  Gervaise  was  running  his 
eye  over  the  signal-book,  the  Plantagenet's  calls  were  piping 
the  people  to  their  morning  meal,  at  least  an  hour  earlier 
than  common;  the  people  repaired  to  their  messes,  with  a 
sort  of  stern  joy;  every  man  in  the  ship  understanding  the 
reason  of  a  summons  so  unusual.  The  calls  of  the  vessels 
astern  were  heard  soon  after,  and  one  of  the  officers  who  was 
watching  the  enemy  with  a  glass  reported  that  he  thought 
the  French  were  breakfasting,  also.  Orders  being  given  to 
the  officers  to  employ  the  next  half-hour  in  the  same  man- 
ner, nearly  everybody  was  soon  engaged  in  eating;  few 
thinking  that  the  meal  might  probably  be  their  last.  Sir 
Gervaise  felt  a  concern,  which  he  succeeded  in  concealing, 
however,  at  the  circumstance  that  the  ships  to  windward 
made  no  more  sail ;  though  he  refrained  from  signalling  the 
rear-admiral  to  that  effect  from  tenderness  to  his  friend,  and 
a  vague  apprehension  of  what  might  be  the  consequences. 
While  the  crews  were  eating,  he  stood  gazing  thoughtfully 
at  the  noble  spectacle  the  enemy  offered,  to  leeward,  occa- 
sionally turning  wistful  glances  at  the  division  that  was 
constantly  drawing  nearer  to  windward.  At  length  Greenly 
himself  reported  that  the  Plantagenet  had  "turned  the 
hands  to,"  again.  At  this  intelligence  Sir  Gervaise  started, 
as  from  a  reverie,  smiled,  and  spoke.  We  will  here  remark 
that  now,  as  on  the  previous  day,  all  the  natural  excitability 
of  manner  had  disappeared  from  the  commander-in-chief, 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  447 

and  he  was  quiet,  and  exceedingly  gentle  in  his  deportment. 
This  all  who  knew  him  understood  to  denote  a  serious 
determination  to  engage. 

"I  have  desired  Galleygo  to  set  my  little  table,  half  an 
hour  hence,  in  the  after-cabin,  Greenly,  and  you  will  share 
the  meal  with  me.  Sir  Wycherly  will  be  of  our  party,  and 
I  hope  it  will  not  be  the  last  time  we  may  meet  at  the  same 
board.  It  is  necessary  everything  should  be  in  fighting 
order  to-day!" 

"  So  I  understand  it,  Sir  Gervaise.  We  are  ready  to  begin, 
as  soon  as  the  order  shall  be  received." 

"Wait  one  moment  until  Bunting  comes  up  from  his 
breakfast.  Ah !  here  he  is,  and  we  are  quite  ready  for  him, 
having  bent  on  the  signal  in  his  absence.  Show  the  order, 
Bunting,  for  the  day  advances." 

The  little  flags  were  fluttering  at  the  main-topgallant 
masthead  of  the  Plantagenet  in  less  than  one  minute,  and 
in  another  it  was  repeated  by  the  Chloe,  Driver,  and  Active, 
all  of  which  were  lying  to,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  windward, 
charged  in  particular  v/ith  this,  among  other  duties.  So 
well  was  this  signal  known  that  not  a  book  in  the  fleet  was 
consulted,  but  all  the  ships  answered,  the  instant  the  flags 
could  be  seen  and  understood.  Then  the  shrill  whistles 
were  heard  along  the  line,  calling  "All  hands"  to  "clear 
ship  for  action,  ahoy!" 

No  sooner  was  this  order  given  in  the  Plantagenet  than 
the  ship  became  a  scene  of  active  but  orderly  exertion.  The 
topmen  were  on  the  yards,  stoppering,  swinging  the  yards 
in  chains,  and  lashing,  in  order  to  prevent  shot  from  doing 
more  injury  than  was  unavoidable;  bulwarks  were  knocked 
down ;  mess-chest,  bags,  and  all  other  domestic  appliances 
disappeared  below,^  and  the  decks  were  cleared  of  everything 
which  could  be  removed,  and  which  would  not  be  necessary 

*  In  the  action  of  the  Nile,  many  of  the  French  ships,  under  the  impression  that 
the  enemy  must  engage  on  the  outside,  put  their  lumber,  bags,  &c. ,  into  the  ports 
and  between  the  guns,  in  the  larboard,  or  inshore  batteries  ;  and  when  the  British 
Anchored  inshore  of  them,  these  batteries  could  not  be  used. 


448  THE   'rWO    ADMIRALS. 

in  an  engagement.  Fully  a  quarter  of  an  hour  was  thus 
occupied,  for  there  was  no  haste,  and,  as  it  was  no  moment 
of  mere  parade,  it  was  necessary  that  the  work  should  be 
effectually  done.  The  officers  forbade  haste,  and  nothing 
important  was  reported  as  effected  that  some  one  in  author- 
ity did  not  examine  with  his  own  eyes,  to  see  that  no  proper 
care  had  been  neglected.  Then  Mr.  Bury,  the  first  lieutenant, 
went  on  the  main-yard,  in  person,  to  look  at  the  manner  in 
which  it  had  been  slung,  while  he  sent  the  boatswain  up  for- 
ward, on  the  same  errand.  These  were  unusual  precautions, 
but  the  word  had  passed  through  the  ship  "that  Sir  Jarvy 
was  in  earnest";  and  whenever  it  was  known  that  "Sir 
Jarvy"  was  in  such  a  humor  every  one  understood  that  the 
day's  work  was  to  be  hard,  if  not  long. 

"  Our  breakfast  is  ready.  Sir  Jarvy,"  reported  Galleygo, 
"and  as  the  decks  is  all  clear  the  b'ys  can  make  a  clean 
run  of  it  from  the  coppers.  I  only  wants  to  know  when  to 
serve  it,  your  honor." 

"  Serve  it  now,  my  good  fellow.  Tell  the  Bowlderos  to 
be  nimble,  and  expect  us  below.  Come,  Greenly — come, 
Wychecombe — we  are  the  last  to  eat — let  us  not  be  the  last 
at  our  stations." 

"  Ship's  clear,  sir,"  reported  Bury  to  his  captain,  as  the 
three  reached  the  quarter-deck,  on  their  way  to  the  cabin. 

"Very  well.  Bury;  when  the  lieet  is  signalled  to  go  to 
quarters,  we  will  obey  with  the  rest." 

As  this  was  said.  Greenly  looked  at  the  vice-admiral  to 
catch  his  wishes.  But  Sir  Gervaise  had  no  intention  of  fa- 
tiguing his  people  unnecessarily.  He  had  left  his  private 
orders  with  Bunting,  and  he  passed  down  without  an  answer 
or  a  glance.  The  arrangements  in  the  after-cabin  were  as 
snug  and  as  comfortable  as  if  the  breakfast-table  had  been 
set  in  a  private  house,  and  the  trio  took  their  seats  and  com- 
menced operations  with  hearty  good-will.  The  vice-admiral 
ordered  the  doors  thrown  open,  and,  as  the  port-lids  were  up, 
from  the  place  where  he  sat  he  could  command  glimpses, 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  449 

both  to  leeward  and  to  windward,  that  included  a  view  of 
the  enemy,  as  well  as  one  of  his  own  expected  reinforce- 
ments. The  Bowlderos  were  in  full  livery,  and  more  active 
and  attentive  than  usual  even.  Their  station  in  battle — for 
no  man  on  board  a  vessel  of  war  is  an  ''''idler'''  in  a  combat 
— was  on  the  poop,  as  musketeers,  near  the  person  of  their 
master,  whose  colors  they  wore,  under  the  ensign  of  their 
prince,  like  vassals  of  an  ancient  baron.  Notwithstanding 
the  crisis  of  the  morning,  however,  these  men  performed 
their  customary  functions  with  the  precision  and  method  of 
English  menials,  omitting  no  luxury  or  usage  of  the  table. 
On  a  sofa  behind  the  table  was  spread  the  full  dress-coat  of 
a  vice-admiral,  then  a  neat  but  plain  uniform,  without  either 
lace  or  epaulettes,  but  decorated  with  a  rich  star  in  bril- 
liants, the  emblem  of  the  order  of  the  Bath.  This  coat  Sir 
Gervaise  always  wore  in  battle,  unless  the  weather  rendered 
a  "  storm  uniform,"  as  he  used  to  term  a  plainer  attire, 
necessary. 

The  breakfast  passed  off  pleasantly,  the  gentlemen  eating 
as  if  no  momentous  events  were  near.  Just  at  its  close,  how- 
ever. Sir  Gervaise  leaned  forward,  and,  looking  through  one 
of  the  weather-ports  of  the  main  cabin,  an  expression  of 
pleasure  illuminated  his  countenance,  as  he  said: 

"Ah!  there  go  Bluewater's  signals,  at  last! — a  certain 
proof  that  he  is  about  to  put  himself  in  communication 
with  us." 

"  I  have  been  a  good  deal  surprised,  sir,"  observed 
Greenly,  a  little  drily,  though  with  great  respect  of  manner, 
"that  you  have  not  ordered  the  rear-admiral  to  make  more 
sail.  He  is  jogging  along  like  a  heavy  wagon,  and  yet  I 
hardly  think  he  can  mistake  these  five  ships  for  French- 
men!" 

"  He  is  never  in  a  hurry,  and  no  doubt  wishes  to  let  his 
crews  breakfast,  before  he  closes.     I'll  warrant  ye,  now,  gen- 
tlemen, that  his  ships  are  at  this  moment  all  as  clear  as  a 
church  five  minutes  after  the  blessing  has  been  pronounced." 
29  / 


450  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"  It  will  not  be  one  of  our  Virginian  churches,  then,  Sir 
Gervaise,"  observed  Wycherly,  smiling;  ''''they  serve  for  an 
exchange,  to  give  and  receive  news  in,  after  the  service  is 
over." 

"Ay,  that^s  the  old  rule — first  pray,  and  then  gossip. 
Well,  Bunting,  what  does  the  rear-admiral  say?" 

"  Upon  my  word,  Sir  Gervaise,  I  can  make  nothing  of  the 
signal,  though  it  is  easy  enough  to  make  out  the  flags,"  an- 
swered the  puzzled  signal-officer.  "Will  you  have  the 
goodness  to  look  at  the  book  yourself,  sir.  The  number  is 
one  hundred  and  forty." 

"  One  hundred  and  forty !  Why,  that  must  have  some- 
thing to  do  with  anchoring! — ay,  here  it  is.  *  Anchor,  I 
cannot,  having  lost  my  cables.'  Who  the  devil  asked  him 
to  anchor?" 

"  That's  just  it,  sir.  The  signal-officer  on  board  the  Cae- 
sar must  have  made  some  mistake  in  his  flags;  for,  though 
the  distance  is  considerable,  our  glasses  are  good  enough  to 
read  them." 

"  Perhaps  Admiral  Bluewater  has  set  the  private,  personal 
telegraph  at  work,  sir,"  quietly  observed  Greenly. 

The  commander-in-chief  actually  changed  color  at  this 
suggestion.  His  face,  at  first,  flushed  to  crimson;  then  it 
became  pale,  like  the  countenance  of  one  who  suffered  under 
acute  bodily  pain.  Wycherly  observed  this,  and  respect- 
fully inquired  if  Sir  Gervaise  were  ill. 

"  I  thank  you,  young  sir,"  answered  the  vice-admiral, 
smiling  painfully;  "  it  is  over.  I  believe  I  shall  have  to  go 
into  dock,  and  let  Magrath  look  at  some  of  my  old  hurts, 
which  are  sometimes  troublesome.  Mr.  Bunting,  do  me  the 
favor  to  go  on  deck,  and  ascertain,  by  a  careful  examination, 
if  a  short  red  pennant  be  not  set  some  ten  or  twelve  feet 
above  the  uppermost  flag.  Now,  Greenly,  we  will  take  the 
other  cup  of  tea,  for  there  is  plenty  of  leisure." 

Two  or  three  brooding  minutes  followed.  Then  Bunting 
returned  to  say  the  pennant  was  there,  a  fact  he  had  quite 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  45  I 

overlooked  in  his  former  observations,  confounding  the 
narrow  flag  in  question  with  the  regular  pennant  of  the  king. 
This  short  red  pennant  denoted  that  the  communication  was 
verbal,  according  to  a  method  invented  by  Bluewater  him- 
self, and  by  means  of  which,  using  the  ordinary  numbers,  he 
was  enabled  to  communicate  with  his  friend,  without  any  of 
the  captains,  or,  indeed,  without  Sir  Gervaise's  own  signal- 
officer's  knowing  what  was  said.  In  a  word,  without  having 
recourse  to  any  new  flags,  but  by  simply  giving  new  num- 
bers to  the  old  ones,  and  referring  to  a  prepared  dictionary, 
it  was  possible  to  hold  a  conversation  in  sentences  that 
should  be  a  secret  to  all  but  themselves.  SirGervaise  took 
down  the  number  of  the  signal  that  was  flying,  and  directed 
Bunting  to  show  the  answering  flag,  with  a  similar  pennant 
over  it,  and  to  continue  this  operation  so  long  as  the  rear- 
admiral  might  make  his  signals.  The  numbers  were  to  be 
sent  below  as  fast  as  received.  As  soon  as  Bunting  disap- 
peared, the  vice-admiral  unlocked  a  secretary,  the  key  of 
which  was  never  out  of  his  own  possession,  took  from  it  a 
small  dictionary,  and  laid  it  by  his  plate.  All  this  time  the 
breakfast  proceeded,  signals  of  this  nature  frequently  occur- 
ring between  the  two  admirals.  In  the  course  of  the  next 
ten  minutes,  a  quartermaster  brought  below  a  succession  of 
numbers  written  on  small  pieces  of  paper;  after  which  Bunt- 
ing appeared  himself  to  say  that  the  Caesar  had  stopped 
signalling. 

Sir  Gervaise  now  looked  out  each  word  by  its  proper 
number,  and  wrote  it  down  with  his  pencil  as  he  proceeded, 
until  the  whole  read — "  God  sake — make  no  signal.  En- 
gage not."  No  sooner  was  the  communication  understood, 
than  the  paper  was  torn  into  minute  fragments,  the  book  re- 
placed, and  the  vice-admiral,  turning  with  a  calm,  deter- 
mined countenance  to  Greenly,  ordered  him  to  beat  to  quar- 
ters as  soon  as  Bunting  could  show  a  signal  to  the  fleet  to 
the  same  effect.  On  this  hint,  all  but  the  vice-admiral  went 
on  deck,  and  the  Bowlderos  instantly  set  about  removing 


452  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

the  table  and  all  the  other  appliances.  Finding  himself 
annoyed  by  the  movements  of  the  servants,  Sir  Gervaise 
walked  out  into  the  great  cabin,  which,  regardless  of  its 
present  condition,  he  began  to  pace  as  was  his  wont  when 
lost  in  thought.  The  bulkheads  being  down,  and  the  furni- 
ture removed,  this  was  in  truth  walking  in  sight  of  the 
crew.  All  who  happened  to  be  on  the  main-deck  could  see 
what  passed,  though  no  one  presumed  to  enter  a  spot  that 
was  tabooed  to  vulgar  feet,  even  when  thus  exposed.  The 
aspect  and  manner  of  "  Sir  Jarvy,"  however,  were  not  over- 
looked, and  the  men  prognosticated  a  serious  time. 

Such  was  the  state  of  things  when  the  drums  beat  to 
quarters,  throughout  the  whole  line.  At  the  first  tap,  the 
great  cabin  sunk  to  the  level  of  an  ordinary  battery ;  the 
seamen  of  two  guns,  with  the  proper  officers,  entering  within 
the  sacred  limits,  and  coolly  setting  about  clearing  their 
pieces  and  making  the  other  preparations  necessary  for  an 
action.  All  this  time  Sir  Gervaise  continued  pacing  what 
would  have  been  the  centre  of  his  own  cabin  had  the  bulk- 
heads stood,  the  grim-looking  sailors  avoiding  him  with 
great  dexterity,  and  invariably  touching  their  hats  as  they 
were  compelled  to  glide  near  his  person,  though  everything 
went  on  as  if  he  were  not  present.  Sir  Gervaise  might  have 
remained  lost  in  thought  much  longer  than  he  did,  had  not 
the  report  of  a  gun  recalled  him  to  a  consciousness  of  the 
scene  that  was  enacting  around  him. 

"What's  that?"  suddenly  demanded  the  vice-admiral — 
"Is  Bluewater  signalling  again?" 

"No,  Sir  Gervaise,"  answered  the  fourth  lieutenant,  look- 
ing out  of  a  lee-port;  "it  is  the  French  admiral  giving  us 
another  weather-gun ;  as  much  as  to  ask  why  we  don't  go 
down.  This  is  the  second  compliment  of  the  same  sort 
that  he  has  paid  us  already  to-day!" 

These  words  were  not  all  spoken  before  the  vice-admiral 
was  on  the  quarter-deck ;  in  half  a  minute  more  he  was  on 
the  poop.     Here  he  found  Greenly,  Wychecombe,  and  Bunt- 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  453 

ing,  all  looking  with  interest  at  the  beautiful  line  of  the 
enemy. 

"  Monsieur  de  Vervillin  is  impatient  to  wipe  off  the  dis- 
grace of  yesterday,"  observed  the  first,  "  as  is  apparent  by 
the  invitations  he  gives  us  to  come  down.  I  presume 
Admiral  Bluewater  will  wake  up  at  this  last  hint." 

"  By  Heaven,  he  has  hauled  his  wind,  and  is  standing  to 
the  northward  and  eastward!"  exclaimed  Sir  Gervaise,  sur- 
prise overcoming  all  his  discretion.  "Although  an  extraor- 
dinary movement,  at  such  a  time,  it  is  wonderful  in  what 
beautiful  order  Bluewater  keeps  his  ships!" 

All  that  was  said  was  true  enough.  The  rear-admiral's 
division  having  suddenly  hauled  up,  in  a  close  line  ahead, 
each  ship  followed  her  leader  as  mechanically  as  if  they 
moved  by  a  common  impulse.  As  no  one  in  the  least 
doubted  the  rear-admiral's  loyalty,  and  his  courage  was  of 
proof,  it  was  the  general  opinion  that  this  unusual  manoeu- 
vre had  some  connection  with  the  unintelligible  signals, 
and  the  young  officers  laughingly  inquired  among  them- 
selves what  "  Sir  Jarvy  was  likely  to  do  next?" 

It  would  seem,  however,  that  Monsieur  de  Vervillin  sus- 
pected a  repetition  of  some  of  the  scenes  of  the  preceding 
day;  for  no  sooner  did  he  perceive  that  the  English  rear 
was  hugging  the  wdnd  than  five  of  his  leading  ships  filled 
and  drew  ahead,  as  if  to  meet  that  division,  manoeuvring  to 
double  on  the  head  of  his  line;  while  the  remaining  five, 
with  the  Foudroyant,  still  lay  with  their  topsails  to  the  masts, 
w^aiting  for  their  enemy  to  come  down.  Sir  Gervaise  could 
not  stand  this  long.  He  determined,  if  possible,  to  bring 
Bluewater  to  terms,  and  he  ordered  the  Plantagenet  to  fill. 
Followed  by  his  own  division,  he  wore  immediately,  and 
went  off  under  easy  sail,  quartering,  toward  Monsieur  de 
Vervillin's  rear,  to  avoid  being  raked. 

The  quarter  of  an  hour  that  succeeded  was  one  of  intense 
interest  and  of  material  changes,  though  not  a  shot  was 
fired.     As  soon  as  the  Comte  de  Vervillin  perceived  that  the 


454  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

English  were  disposed  to  come  nearer,  he  signalled  his  own 
division  to  bear  up  and  to  run  off  dead  before  the  wind 
under  their  topsails,  commencing  astern ;  which  reversed  his 
order  of  sailing,  and  brought  Le  Foudroyant  in  the  rear,  or 
nearest  to  the  enemy.  This  was  no  sooner  done,  than  he 
settled  all  his  topsails  on  the  caps.  There  could  be  no 
mistaking  this  manoeuvre.  It  was  a  direct  invitation  to  Sii 
Gervaise  to  come  down,  fairly  alongside ;  the  bearing  up  at 
once  removing  all  risk  of  being  raked  in  so  doing.  The 
English  commander-in-chief  was  not  a  man  to  neglect  such 
a  palpable  challenge;  but,  making  a  few  signals  to  direct 
the  mode  of  attack  he  contemplated,  he  set  foresail  and 
main-topgallantsail,  and  brought  the  wind  directly  over  his 
own  taffrail.  The  vessels  astern  followed  like  clockwork, 
and  no  one  now  doubted  that  the  mode  of  attack  was  settled 
for  that  day. 

As  the  French,  with  Monsieur  de  Vervillin,  were  still 
half  a  mile  to  the  southward  and  eastward  of  the  approach- 
ing division  of  their  enemy,  the  Comte  collected  all  his  frig- 
ates and  corvettes  on  his  starboard  hand,  leaving  a  clear 
approach  to  Sir  Gervaise  on  his  larboard  beam.  This  hint 
was  understood,  too,  and  the  Plantagenet  steered  a  course 
that  would  bring  her  up  on  that  side  of  Le  Foudroyant,  and 
at  the  distance  of  about  one  hundred  yards  from  the  muz- 
zles of  her  guns.  This  threatened  to  be  close  work,  and 
unusual  work  in  fleets,  at  that  day ;  but  it  was  the  game  our 
commander-in-chief  was  fond  of  playing,  and  it  was  one, 
also,  that  promised  soonest  to  bring  matters  to  a  result. 

These  preliminaries  arranged,  there  was  yet  leisure  for 
the  respective  commanders  to  look  about  them.  The  French 
were  still  fully  a  mile  ahead  of  their  enemies,  and,  as  both 
fleets  were  going  in  the  same  direction,  the  approach  of  the 
English  was  so  slow  as  to  leave  some  twenty  minutes  of  that 
solemn  breathing-time  which  reigns  in  a  disciplined  ship, 
previous  to  the  commencement  of  the  combat.  The  feelings 
of  the  two  commanders-in-chief,  at  this  pregnant  instant, 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  455 

were  singularly  in  contradiction  to  each  other.  The  Comte 
de  Vervillin  saw  that  the  rear  division  of  his  force,  under 
the  Comte-Amiral  le  Vicomte  des  Prez,  was  in  the  very  po- 
sition he  desired  it  to  be,  having  obtained  the  advantage  of 
the  wind  by  the  English  division's  coming  down,  and  by 
keeping  its  own  luff.  Between  the  two  French  officers  there 
was  a  perfect  understanding  as  to  the  course  each  was  to 
take,  and  both  now  felt  sanguine  hopes  of  being  able  to 
obliterate  the  disgrace  of  the  previous  day,  and  that,  too,  by 
means  very  similar  to  those  by  which  it  had  been  incurred. 
On  the  other  hand.  Sir  Gervaise  was  beset  with  doubts  as  to 
the  course  Bluewater  might  pursue.  He  could  not,  however, 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  he  would  abandon  him  to  the 
joint  efforts  of  the  two  hostile  divisions;  and  so  long  as  the 
French  rear-admiral  was  occupied  by  the  English  force  to 
windward,  it  left  to  himself  a  clear  field  and  no  favor  in  the 
action  with  Monsieur  de  Vervillin.  He  knew  Bluewater's 
generous  nature  too  well  not  to  feel  certain  his  own  compli- 
ance with  the  request  not  to  signal  his  inferior  would  touch 
his  heart,  and  give  him  a  double  chance  with  all  his  better 
feelings.  Nevertheless,  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  did  not  lead 
into  this  action  without  many  and  painful  misgivings.  He 
had  lived  too  long  in  the  world  not  to  know  that  political 
prejudice  was  the  most  demoralizing  of  all  our  weaknesses, 
veiling  our  private  vices  under  the  plausible  concealment  of 
the  public  weal,  and  rendering  even  the  well-disposed  in- 
sensible to  the  wrongs  they  commit  to  individuals,  by  means 
of  the  deceptive  flattery  of  serving  the  community.  As 
doubt  was  more  painful  than  the  certainty  of  his  worst  fore- 
bodings, however,  and  it  was  not  in  his  nature  to  refuse  a 
combat  so  fairly  offered,  he  was  resolved  to  close  with  the 
Comte  at  every  hazard,  trusting  the  issue  to  God  and  his 
own  efforts. 

The  Plantagenet  presented  an  eloquent  picture  of  order 
and  preparation,  as  she  drew  near  the  French  line,  on  this 
memorable  occasion.     Her  people  were  all  at  quarters,  and, 


456  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

as  Greenly  walked  through  her  batteries,  he  found  every  gun 
on  the  starboard  side  loose,  levelled,  and  ready  to  be  fired; 
while  the  opposite  merely  required  a  turn  or  two  of  the 
tackles  to  be  cast  loose,  the  priming  to  be  applied,  and  the 
loggerhead  to  follow,  in  order  to  be  discharged,  also.  A 
deathlike  stillness  reigned  from  the  poop  to  the  cockpit,  the 
older  seamen  occasionally  glancing  through  their  ports  in 
order  to  ascertain  the  relative  positions  of  the  two  fleets,  that 
they  might  be  ready  for  the  collision.  As  the  English  got 
within  musket-shot,  the  French  ran  their  topsails  to  the 
mastheads,  and  their  ships  gathered  fresher  way  though  the 
water.  Still  the  former  moved  with  the  greatest  velocity, 
carrying  the  most  sail  and  impelled  by  the  greater  momen- 
tum. When  near  enough,  however.  Sir  Gervaise  gave  the 
order  to  reduce  the  canvas  of  his  own  ship. 

"That  will  do,  Greenly,"  he  said,  in  a  mild,  quiet  tone. 
"  Let  run  the  topgallant-halyards  and  haul  up  the  foresail. 
The  way  you  have  will  bring  you  fairly  alongside." 

The  captain  gave  the  necessary  orders,  and  the  master 
shortened  sail  accordingly.  Still  the  Plantagenet  shot 
ahead,  and,  in  three  or  four  minutes  more,  her  bows  doubled 
so  far  on  Le  Foudroyant's  quarter  as  to  permit  a  gun  to 
bear.  This  was  the  signal  for  both  sides,  each  ship  opening 
as  it  might  be  in  the  same  breath.  The  flash,  the  roar,  and 
the  eddying  smoke  followed  in  quick  succession,  and  in  a 
period  of  time  that  seemed  nearly  instantaneous.  The  crash 
of  shot  and  the  shrieks  of  wounded  mingled  with  the  infernal 
din,  for  nature  extorts  painful  concessions  of  human  weak- 
nesses, at  such  moments,  even  from  the  bravest  and  firmest. 
Bunting  was  in  the  act  of  reporting  to  Sir  Gervaise  that  no 
signal  could  yet  be  seen  from  the  Caesar,  in  the  midst  of  this 
uproar,  when  a  small  round-shot,  discharged  from  the 
Frenchman's  poop,  passed  through  his  body,  literally  driv- 
ing the  heart  before  it,  leaving  him  dead  at  his  comman- 
der's feet. 

"  I  shall  depend  on  you.  Sir  Wycherly,  for  the  discharge 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  457 

of  poor  Bunting's  duty,  the  remainder  of  the  cruise,"  observed 
Sir  Gervaise,  with  a  smile  in  which  courtesy  and  regret 
struggled  singularly  for  the  mastery.  "  Quartermasters,  lay 
Mr.  Bunting's  body  a  little  out  of  the  way,  and  cover  it  with 
those  signals.  They  are  a  suitable  pall  for  so  brave  a  man !" 
Just  as  this  occurred,  the  Warspite  came  clear  of  the 
Plantagenet,  on  her  outside,  according  to  orders,  and  she 
opened  with  her  forward  guns,  taking  the  second  ship  in  the 
French  line  for  her  target.  In  two  minutes  more  these  ves- 
sels also  were  furiously  engaged  in  the  hot  strife.  In  this 
manner,  ship  after  ship  passed  on  the  outside  of  the  Planta- 
genet, and  sheered  into  her  berth  ahead  of  her  who  had  just 
been  her  own  leader,  until  the  Achilles,  Lord  Morganic,  the 
last  of  the  five,  lay  fairly  side  by  side  with  Le  Conquereur, 
the  vessel  now  at  the  head  of  the  French  line.  That  the 
reader  may  understand  the  incidents  more  readily,  we  will 
give  the  opposing  lines  in  the  precise  form  in  which  they 
lay,  viz. : 

Plantagenet Le  Foudroyant 

Warspite Le  Temeraire 

Blenheim Le  Dugay  Trouin 

Thunderer L'Ajax 

Achilles Le  Conquereur. 

The  constantly  recurring  discharges  of  four  hundred  pieces 
of  heavy  ordnance,  within  a  space  so  small,  had  the  effect 
to  repel  the  regular  currents  of  air,  and,  almost  immediately, 
to  lessen  a  breeze  of  six  or  seven  knots  to  one  that  would 
not  propel  a  ship  more  than  two  or  three.  This  was  the  first 
observable  phenomenon  connected  with  the  action,  but,  as  it 
had  been  expected.  Sir  Gervaise  had  used  the  precaution  to 
lay  his  ships  as  near  as  possible  in  the  positions  in  which 
he  intended  them  to  fight  the  battle.  The  next  great  physi- 
cal consequence,  one  equally  expected  and  natural,  but 
which  wrought  a  great  change  in  the  aspect  of  the  battle, 
was  the  cloud  of  smoke  in  which  the  ten  ships  were  sud- 


458  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

denly  enveloped.  At  the  first  broadsides  between  the  two 
admirals,  volumes  of  light,  fleecy  vapor  rolled  over  the  sea, 
meeting  midway,  and,  rising  thence  in  curling  wreaths,  left 
nothing  but  the  masts  and  sails  of  the  adversary  visible  in 
the  hostile  ship.  This,  of  itself,  would  have  soon  hidden 
the  combatants  in  the  bosom  of  a  nearly  impenetrable 
cloud ;  but  as  the  vessels  drove  onward  they  entered  deeper 
beneath  the  sulphurous  canopy,  until  it  spread  on  each  side 
of  them,  shutting  out  the  view  of  ocean,  skies,  and  horizon. 
The  burning  of  the  priming  below  contributed  to  increase 
the  smoke,  until  not  only  was  respiration  often  difficult,  but 
those  who  fought  only  a  few  yards  apart  frequently  could 
not  recognize  each  other's  faces.  In  the  midst  of  this  scene 
of  obscurity,  and  a  din  that  might  well  have  alarmed  the 
caverns  of  the  ocean,  the  earnest  and  well-drilled  seamen 
toiled  at  their  ponderous  guns,  and  remedied  with  ready 
hands  the  injuries  received  in  the  rigging,  each  man  as  in- 
tent on  his  own  particular  duty  as  if  he  wrought  in  the  occu- 
pations of  an  ordinary  gale. 

"Sir  Wycherly,"  observed  the  vice-admiral,  when  the 
cannonading  had  continued  some  twenty  minutes,  "there  is 
little  for  a  flag-officer  to  do  in  such  a  cloud  of  smoke.  I 
would  give  much  to  know  the  exact  positions  of  the  divisions 
of  our  two  rear-admirals." 

"  There  is  but  one  mode  of  ascertaining  that,  Sir  Gervaise 
— if  it  be  your  pleasure,  I  will  attempt  it.  By  going  on  the 
main-topgallant-yard,  one  might  get  a  clear  view,  perhaps." 

Sir  Gervaise  smiled  his  approbation,  and  presently  he 
saw  the  young  man  ascending  the  main-rigging,  though  half 
concealed  in  smoke.  Just  at  this  instant.  Greenly  ascended 
to  the  poop,  from  making  a  tour  of  observation  below. 
Without  waiting  for  a  question,  the  captain  made  his  re- 
port. 

"We  are  doing  pretty  well,  now.  Sir  Gervaise,  though  the 
first  broadside  of  the  Comte  treated  us  roughly.  I  think  his 
fire  slackens,  and  Bury  says  he  is  certain  that  his  foretop- 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  459 

mast  is  already  gone.  At  all  events,  our  lads  are  in  good 
spirits,  and  as  yet  all  the  sticks  keep  their  places." 

"  I'm  glad  of  this,  Greenly;  particularly  of  the  latter,  just 
at  this  moment.  I  see  you  are  looking  at  those  signals — 
they  cover  the  body  of  poor  Bunting." 

"  And  this  train  of  blood  to  the  ladder,  sir — I  hope  our 
young  baronet  is  not  hurt?" 

"  No,  it  is  one  of  the  Bowlderos,  who  has  lost  a  leg.  I 
shall  have  to  see  that  he  wants  for  nothing  hereafter." 

There  was  a  pause ;  then  both  the  gentlemen  smiled,  as 
they  heard  the  crashing  work  made  by  a  shot  just  beneath 
them,  which,  by  the  sounds  and  the  direction,  they  knew 
had  passed  through  Greenly's  crockery.  Still  neither  spoke. 
After  a  few  more  minutes  of  silent  observation.  Sir  Gervaise 
remarked  that  he  thought  the  flashes  of  the  French  guns 
more  distant  than  they  had  been  at  first,  though,  at  that  in- 
stant, not  a  trace  of  their  enemy  was  to  be  discovered,  except 
in  the  roar  of  the  guns,  and  in  these  very  flashes,  and  their 
effect  on  the  Plantagenet. 

"  If  so,  sir,  the  Comte  begins  to  find  his  berth  too  hot  for 
him;  here  is  the  wind  still  directly  over  our  taffrail,  such  as 
it  is." 

"  No — no — we  steer  as  we  began — I  keep  my  eye  on  that 
compass  below,  and  am  certain  we  hold  a  straight  course. 
Go  forward.  Greenly,  and  see  that  a  sharp  lookout  is  kept 
ahead.  It  is  time  some  of  our  own  ships  should  be  crip- 
pled; we  must  be  careful  not  to  run  into  them.  Should 
such  a  thing  happen,  sheer  hard  to  starboard,  and  pass 
iyiside.^^ 

"Ay,  ay.  Sir  Gervaise;  your  wishes  shall  be  attended  to." 

As  this  was  said.  Greenly  disappeared,  and,  at  the  next 
instant,  Wycherly  stood  in  his  place. 

"Well,  sir — I  am  glad  to  see  you  back  safe.  If  Greenly 
were  here  now,  he  would  inquire  about  his  masts,  but  /wish 
to  know  the  position  of  the  shij^s^ 

"  I  am  the  bearer  of  bad  news,  sir.*     Nothing  at  all  could 


460  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

be  seen  from  the  top ;  but  in  the  cross-trees  I  got  a  good 
look  through  the  smoke,  and  am  sorry  to  say  the  French 
rear-admiral  is  coming  down  fast  on  our  larboard  quarter, 
with  all  his  force.  We  shall  have  him  abeam  in  five  min- 
utes." 

"And  Bluewater?"  demanded  Sir  Gervaise,  quick  as 
lightning. 

"I  could  see  nothing  of  Admiral  Bluewater's  ships;  but, 
knowing  the  importance  of  this  intelligence,  I  came  down 
immediately,  and  by  the  backstay." 

"You  have  done  well,  sir.  Send  a  midshipman  forward 
for  Captain  Greenly ;  then  pass  below  yourself,  and  let  the 
lieutenants  in  the  batteries  hear  the  news.  They  must  di- 
vide their  people,  and  by  all  means  give  a  prompt  and  well- 
directed  Tfrj-/  broadside." 

Wycherly  waited  for  no  more.  He  ran  below  with  the 
activity  of  his  years.  The  message  found  Greenly  between 
the  knight-heads,  but  he  hurried  aft  to  the  poop  to  ascertain 
its  object.  It  took  Sir  Gervaise  but  a  moment  to  explain  it 
all  to  the  captain. 

"  In  the  name  of  Heaven,  what  can  the  other  division  be 
about,"  exclaimed  Greenly,  "that  it  lets  the  French  rear- 
admiral  come  upon  us,  in  a  moment  like  this!" 

"  Of  that,  sir,  it  is  unnecessary  to  speak  iiow^'*  answered 
the  commander-in-chief  solemnly.  "  Our  present  business 
is  to  get  ready  for  this  new  enemy.  Go  into  the  batteries 
again,  and,  as  you  prize  victory,  be  careful  not  to  throw 
away  the  first  discharge,  in  the  smoke." 

As  time  pressed.  Greenly  swallowed  his  discontent,  and 
departed.  The  five  minutes  that  succeeded  were  bitter  min- 
utes to  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes.  Beside  himself  there  were  but 
five  men  on  the  poop ;  viz.,  the  quartermaster  who  tended  the 
signals,  and  three  of  the  Bowlderos.  All  of  these  were 
using  muskets  as  usual,  though  the  vice-admiral  never  per- 
mitted marines  to  be  stationed  at  a  point  which  he  wished 
to  be  as  clear  of  smoke  and  as  much  removed  from  bustle 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  46 1 

as  possible.  He  began  to  pace  this  comparatively  vacant 
little  deck  with  a  quick  step,  casting  wistful  glances  toward 
the  larboard  quarter;  but  though  the  smoke  occasionally 
cleared  a  little  in  that  direction,  the  firing  having  much 
slackened  from  exhaustion  in  the  men,  as  well  as  from  in- 
juries given  and  received,  he  was  unable  to  detect  any  signs 
of  a  ship.  Such  was  the  state  of  things  when  Wycherly  re- 
turned and  reported  that  his  orders  were  delivered,  and  part 
of  the  people  were  already  in  the  larboard  batteries. 


CHAPTER   XXVIII. 

"  And  oh,  the  little  warlike  world  within  ! 

The  well-reeved  guns,  the  netted  canopy, 
The  hoarse  command,  the  busy  humming  din, 
When  at  a  word  the  tops  are  manned  on  high : 
Hark  to  the  boatswain's  call,  the  cheering  cry  ! 
While  through  the  seaman's  hands  the  tackle  glides. 
Or  schoolboy  midshipman,  that,  standing  by, 
Strains  his  shrill  pipe,  as  good  or  ill  betides. 
And  well  the  docile  crew  that  skilful  urchin  guides." 

Byron. 

"Are  you  quite  sure,  Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe,  that 
there  is  not  some  mistake  about  the  approach  of  the  rear 
division  of  the  French?"  inquired  the  vice-admiral,  endeav- 
oring to  catch  some  glimpse  of  the  water,  through  the  smoke 
on  the  larboard  hand.  "  May  not  some  crippled  ship  of 
our  own  have  sheered  from  the  line,  and  been  left  by  us, 
unknowingly,  on  that  side?" 

"No,  Sir  Gervaise,  there  is  710  mistake;  there  can  be 
none,  unless  I  may  have  been  deceived  a  little  in  the  dis- 
tance. I  saw  nothing  but  the  sails  and  spars,  not  of  a  sin- 
gle vessel,  but  of  three  ships;  and  one  of  them  wore  the  flag 
of  a  French  rear-admiral  at  the  mizzen.  As  a  proof  that  I 
was  not  mistaken,  sir,  there  it  is  this  minute?" 

The  smoke  on  the  off  side  of  the  Plantagenet,  as  a  matter 
of  course,  was  much  les^  dense  than  that  on  the  side  en- 
gaged, and  the  wind  beginning  to  blow  in  eddies,  as  ever 


462  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

happens  in  a  heavy  cannonade,  there  were  moments  in 
which  it  cast  aside  the  "  shroud  of  battle."  At  that  instant 
an  opening  occurred  through  which  a  single  mast  and  a 
single  sail  were  visible,  in  the  precise  spot  where  Wycherly 
had  stated  the  enemy  might  be  looked  for.  It  was  a  mizzen- 
topsail,  beyond  a  question,  and  above  it  was  fluttering  the 
little  square  flag  of  the  rear-admiral.  Sir  Gervaise  decided 
on  the  character  of  the  vessel,  and  on  his  own  course,  in  an 
instant.  Stepping  to  the  edge  of  the  poop,  with  his  natural 
voice,  without  the  aid  of  a  trumpet  of  any  sort,  he  called 
out  in  tones  that  rose  above  the  roar  of  the  contest,  the 
ominous  but  familiar  nautical  words  of  "Stand  by!"  Per- 
haps a  call  from  powerful  lungs  (and  the  vice-admiral's 
voice,  when  he  chose  to  use  it,  was  like  the  blast  of  a 
clarion)  is  clearer  and  more  impressive,  when  unaided  by 
instruments,  than  when  it  comes  disguised  and  unnatural 
through  a  tube.  At  any  rate,  these  words  were  heard  even 
on  the  lower  deck,  by  those  who  stood  near  the  hatches. 
Taking  them  up,  they  were  repeated  by  a  dozen  voices,  with 
such  expressions  as  "  Look  out,  lads;  Sir  Jarvy's  awake!" 
"Sight  your  guns!"  "Wait  till  she's  square!"  and  other 
similar  admonitions  that  it  is  usual  for  the  sea-officer  to 
give  as  he  is  about  to  commence  the  strife.  At  this  critical 
moment  Sir  Gervaise  again  looked  up,  and  caught  another 
glimpse  of  the  little  flag,  as  it  passed  into  a  vast  wreath  of 
smoke ;  he  saw  that  the  ship  was  fairly  abeam,  and,  as  if 
doubling  all  his  powers,  he  shouted  the  word  "Fire!" 
Greenly  was  standing  on  the  lower-deck  ladder,, with  his 
head  just  even  with  the  coamings  of  the  hatch,  as  this  order 
reached  him,  and  he  repeated  it  in  a  voice  scarcely  less 
startling.  The  cloud  on  the  larboard  side  was  driven  in  all 
directions,  like  dust  scattered  by  wind.  The  ship  seemed 
on  fire,  and  the  missiles  of  forty-one  guns  flew  on  their 
deadly  errand,  as  it  might  be  at  a  single  flash.  The  old 
Plantagenet  trembled  to  her  keel,  and  even  bowed  a  little 
at  the   recoils,   but,    like   one   suddenly   relieved  from   a 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  463 

burthen,  righted  and  went  on  her  way  none  the  less  active. 
That  timely  broadside  saved  the  English  commander-in- 
chief's  ship  from  an  early  defeat.  It  took  the  crew  of  Le 
Pluton,  her  new  adversary,  by  surprise ;  for  they  had  not 
been  able  to  distinguish  the  precise  position  of  their  enemy; 
and,  besides  doing  vast  injury  to  both  hull  and  people,  drew 
her  fire  at  an  unpropitious  moment.  So  uncertain  and  hasty, 
indeed,  was  the  discharge  the  French  ship  gave  in  return 
that  no  small  portion  of  the  contents  of  her  guns  passed 
ahead  of  the  Plantagenet,  and  went  into  the  larboard  quarter 
of  Le  Temeraire,  the  French's  admiral's  second  ahead. 

"That  was  a  timely  salute,"  said  Sir  Gervaise,  smiling  as 
soon  as  the  fire  of  his  new  enemy  had  been  received  with- 
out material  injury.  "The  first  blow  is  always  half  the 
battle.  We  may  now  work  on  with  some  hopes  of  success. 
Ah!  here  comes  Greenly  again,  God  be  praised!  unhurt." 

The  meeting  of  these  two  experienced  seamen  was  cor- 
dial, but  not  without  great  seriousness.  Both  felt  that  the 
situation  of  not  only  the  ship,  but  of  the  whole  fleet,  was 
extremely  critical,  the  odds  being  much  too  great,  and  the 
position  of  the  enemy  too  favorable,  not  to  render  the  result, 
to  say  the  very  least,  exceedingly  doubtful.  Some  advan- 
tage had  certainly  been  obtained  thus  far;  but  there  was 
little  hope  of  preserving  it  long.  The  circumstances  called 
for  very  decided  and  particularly  bold  measures. 

"  My  mind  is  made  up.  Greenly,"  observed  the  vice- 
admiral.  "  We  must  go  aboard  of  one  of  these  ships,  and 
make  it  a  hand-to-hand  affair.  We  will  take  the  French 
commander-in-chief;  he  is  evidently  a  good  deal  cut  up  by 
the  manner  in  which  his  fire  slackens,  and  if  we  can  carry 
him,  or  even  force  him  out  of  the  line,  it  will  give  us  a 
better  chance  with  the  rest.  As  for  Bluewater,  God  only 
knows  what  has  become  of  him!  He  is  not  here  at  any 
rate,  and  we  must  help  ourselves." 

"  You  have  only  to  order.  Sir  Gervaise,  to  be  obeyed.  I 
will  lead  the  boarders  myself." 


464  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"It  must  be  a  general  thing,  Greenly;  I  rather  think  we 
shall  all  of  us  have  to  go  aboard  of  Le  Foudroyant.  Go, 
give  the  necessary  orders,  and  when  everything  is  ready, 
round  in  a  little  on  the  larboard  braces,  clap  your  helm 
aport,  and  give  the  ship  a  rank  sheer  to  starboard.  This  will 
bring  matters  to  a  crisis  at  once.  By  letting  the  foresail 
fall,  and  setting  the  spanker,  you  might  shove  the  ship 
ahead  a  little  faster." 

Greenly  instantly  left  the  poop  on  this  new  and  impor- 
tant duty.  He  sent  his  orders  into  the  batteries,  bidding 
the  people  remain  at  their  guns,  however,  to  the  last  mo- 
ment; and  particularly  instructing  the  captain  of  marines 
as  to  the  manner  in  which  he  was  to  cover  and  then  follow 
the  boarding-party.  This  done,  he  gave  orders  to  brace 
forward  the  yards,  as  directed  by  Sir  Gervaise. 

The  reader  will  not  overlook  the  material  circumstance 
that  all  we  have  related  occurred  amid  the  din  of  battle. 
Guns  were  exploding  at  each  instant,  the  cloud  of  smoke 
was  both  thickening  and  extending,  fire  was  flashing  in  the 
semi-obscurity  of  its  volumes,  shot  were  rending  the  wood 
and  cutting  the  rigging,  and  the  piercing  shrieks  of  agony, 
only  so  much  the  more  appalling  by  being  extorted  from  the 
stern  and  resolute,  blended  their  thrilling  accompaniments. 
Men  seemed  to  be  converted  into  demons,  and  yet  there  was 
a  lofty  and  stubborn  resolution  to  conquer,  mingled  with 
all,  that  ennobled  the  strife  and  rendered  it  heroic.  The 
broadsides  that  were  delivered  in  succession  down  the  line, 
as  ship  after  ship  of  the  rear  division  reached  her  station, 
however,  proclaimed  that  Monsieur  des  Prez  had  imitated 
Sir  Gervaise's  mode  of  closing,  the  only  one  by  means  of 
which  the  leading  vessel  could  escape  destruction,  and  that 
the  English  were  completely  doubled  on.  At  this  moment, 
the  sail-trimmers  of  the  Plantagenet  handled  their  braces. 
The  first  pull  was  the  last.  No  sooner  were  the  ropes 
started  than  the  fore-topmast  went  over  the  bows,  dragging 
after  it  the  main  with  all  its  hamper,  the  mizzen  snapping 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  465 

like  a  pipestem,  at  the  cap.  By  this  cruel  accident,  the 
result  of  many  injuries  to  shrouds,  backstays,  and  spars, 
the  situation  of  the  Plantagenet  became  worse  than  ever; 
for  not  only  was  the  wreck  to  be  partially  cleared,  at  least, 
to  fight  many  of  the  larboard  guns,  but  the  command  of  the 
ship  was,  in  a  great  measure,  lost  in  the  centre  of  one  of 
the  most  infernal  melees  that  ever  accompanied  a  combat  at 
sea. 

At  no  time  does  the  trained  seaman  ever  appear  so  great 
as  when  he  meets  sudden  misfortunes  with  the  steadiness 
and  quiet  which  it  is  a  material  part  of  the  morale  of  disci- 
pline to  inculcate.  Greenly  was  full  of  ardor  for  the  as- 
sault, and  was  thinking  of  the  best  mode  of  running  foul  of 
his  adversary,  when  this  calamity  occurred;  but  the  masts 
were  hardly  down,  when  he  changed  all  his  thoughts  to  a 
new  current,  and  called  out  to  the  sail-trimmers  to  "  lay 
over,  and  clear  the  wreck." 

Sir  Gervaise,  too,  met  with  a  sudden  and  violent  check  to 
the  current  of  his  feelings.  He  had  collected  his  Bowlderos, 
and  was  giving  his  instructions  as  to  the  manner  in  which 
they  were  to  follow,  and  keep  near  his  person,  in  the  ex- 
pected hand-to-hand  encounter,  when  the  heavy  rushing  of 
the  air,  and  the  swoop  of  the  mass  from  above,  announced 
what  had  occurred.  Turning  to  the  men,  he  calmly  ordered 
them  to  aid  in  getting  rid  of  the  incumbrances,  and  was  in 
the  very  act  of  directing  Wycherly  to  join  in  the  same  duty, 
when  the  latter  exclaimed : 

"  See,  Sir  Gervaise,  here  comes  another  of  the  Frenchmen 
close  upon  our  quarter.  By  heavens,  they  must  mean  to 
board!" 

The  vice-admiral  instinctively  grasped  his  sword-hilt 
tighter,  and  turned  in  the  direction  mentioned  by  his  com- 
panion. There,  indeed,  came  a  fresh  ship,  shoving  the 
cloud  aside,  and,  by  the  clearer  atmosphere  that  seemed  to 
accompany  her,  apparently  bringing  down  a  current  of  air 
stronger  than  common.  When  first  seen,  the  jib-boom  and 
30 


466  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

bowsprit  were  both  enveloped  in  smoke,  but  his  bellying 
fore-topsail,  and  the  canvas  hanging  in  festoons,  loomed 
grandly  in  the  vapor,  the  black  yards  seeming  to  embrace 
the  wreaths,  merely  to  cast  them  aside.  The  proximity, 
too,  was  fearful,  her  yard-arms  promising  to  clear  those  of 
the  Plantagenet  only  by  a  few  feet,  as  her  dark  bows  brushed 
along  the  admiral's  side. 

"This  will  be  fearful  work,  indeed!"  exclaimed  Sir 
Gervaise.  "  A  fresh  broadside  from  a  ship  so  near,  will 
sweep  all  from  the  spars.  Go,  Wychecombe,  tell  Greenly 
to  call  in — Hold! — 'Tis  an  English  ship!  No  Frenchman's 
bowsprit  stands  like  that !  Almighty  God  be  praised !  'Tis 
the  Caesar — there  is  the  old  Roman's  figure-head  just  shov- 
ing out  of  the  smoke!" 

This  was  said  with  a  yell,  rather  than  a  cry,  of  delight, 
and  in  a  voice  so  loud  that  the  words  were  heard  below,  and 
flew  through  the  ship  like  the  hissing  of  an  ascending 
rocket.  To  confirm  the  glorious  tidings,  the  flash  and  roar 
of  guns  on  the  off-side  of  the  stranger  announced  the  wel- 
come tidings  that  Le  Pluton  had  an  enemy  of  her  own  to 
contend  with,  thus  enabling  the  Plantagenet's  people  to 
throw  all  their  strength  on  the  starboard  guns,  and  pursue 
their  other  necessary  work  without  further  molestation  from 
the  French  rear-admiral.  The  gratitude  of  Sir  Gervaise,  as 
the  rescuing  ship  thrust  herself  in  between  him  and  his 
most  formidable  assailant,  was  too  deep  for  language.  He 
placed  his  hat  mechanically  before  his  face,  and  thanked 
God,  with  a  fervor  of  spirit  that  never  before  had  attended 
his  thanksgivings.  This  brief  act  of  devotion  over,  he  found 
the  bows  of  the  Caesar,  which  ship  was  advancing  very 
slowly,  in  order  not  to  pass  too  far  ahead,  just  abreast  of 
the  spot  where  he  stood,  and  so  near  that  objects  were  pretty 
plainly  visible.  Between  her  knight-heads  stood  Blue- 
water,  conning  the  ship,  by  means  of  a  line  of  officers,  his 
hat  in  his  hand,  waving  in  encouragement  to  his  own  people, 
while  Geoffrey  Cleveland  held  thQ  trumpet  at  his  elbov;. 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  467 

At  that  moment  three  noble  cheers  were  given  by  the  crews 
of  the  two  friendly  vessels,  and  mingled  with  the  increasing 
roar  of  the  Caesar's  artillery.  Then  the  smoke  rose  in  a 
cloud  over  the  forecastle  of  the  latter  ship,  and  persons 
could  no  longer  be  distinguished. 

Nevertheless,  like  all  that  thus  approached,  the  relieving 
ship  passed  slowly  ahead,  until  nearly  her  whole  length 
protected  the  undefended  side  of  her  consort,  delivering  her 
fire  with  fearful  rapidity.  The  Plantagenets  seemed  to  im- 
bibe new  life  from  this  arrival,  and  their  starboard  guns 
spoke  out  again,  as  if  manned  by  giants.  It  was  five  min- 
utes, perhaps,  after  this  seasonable  arrival,  before  the  guns 
of  the  other  ships  of  the  English  rear  announced  their  pres- 
ence on  the  outside  of  Monsieur  des  Prez's  force;  thus 
bringing  the  whole  of  the  two  fleets  into  four  lines,  all 
steering  dead  before  the  wind,  and,  as  it  were,  interwoven 
with  each  other.  By  that  time,  the  poops  of  the  Plantagenet 
and  Caesar  became  visible  from  one  to  the  other,  the  smoke 
now  driving  principally  off  from  the  vessels.  There  again 
were  our  two  admirals  each  anxiously  watching  to  get  a 
glimpse  of  his  friend.  The  instant  the  place  was  clear,  Sir 
Gervaise  applied  the  trumpet  to  his  mouth,  and  called  out: 

"God  bless  you — Dick!  may  God  forever  bless  you — 
your  ship  can  do  it — clap  your  helm  hard  a-starboard,  and 
sheer  into  M.  des  Prez;  you'll  have  him  in  five  minutes," 

Bluewater  smiled,  waved  his  hand,  gave  an  order,  and 
laid  aside  his  trumpet.  Two  minutes  later,  the  Caesar 
sheered  into  the  smoke  on  her  larboard  beam,  and  the  crash 
of  the  meeting  vessels  was  heard.  By  this  time  the  wreck 
of  the  Plantagenet  was  cut  adrift,  and  she,  too,  made  a  rank 
sheer,  though  in  a  direction  opposite  to  that  of  the  Caesar's. 
As  she  went  through  the  smoke,  her  guns  ceased,  and  when 
she  emerged  into  the  pure  air  it  was  found  that  Le  Fou- 
droyant  had  set  courses  and  topgallantsails,  and  was  draw- 
ing so  fast  ahead  as  to  render  pursuit,  under  the  little  sail 
that  could  be  set,  unprofitable.     Signals  were  out  of  the 


468  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

question,  but  this  movement  of  the  two  admirals  converted 
the  whole  battle  scene  into  one  of  inexplicable  confusion. 
Ship  after  ship  changed  her  position,  and  ceased  her  fire 
from  uncertainty  what  that  position  was,  until  a  general 
silence  succeeded  the  roar  of  the  cannonade.  It  was  indis- 
pensable to  pause  and  let  the  smoke  blow  away. 

It  did  not  require  many  minutes  to  raise  the  curtain  on 
the  two  fleets.  As  soon  as  the  firing  stopped,  the  wind  in- 
creased, and  the  smoke  was  driven  off  to  leeward  in  a  vast 
straggling  cloud,  that  seemed  to  scatter  and  disperse  in  the  air 
spontaneously.  Then  a  sight  of  the  havoc  and  destruction 
that  had  been  done  in  this  short  conflict  was  first  obtained. 

The  two  squadrons  were  intermingled,  and  it  required 
some  little  time  for  Sir  Gervaise  to  get  a  clear  idea  of  the 
state  of  his  own  ships.  Generally,  it  might  be  said  that  the 
vessels  were  scattering,  the  French  sheering  toward  their 
own  coast,  while  the  English  were  principally  coming  by 
the  wind  on  the  larboard  tack,  or  heading  in  toward  Eng- 
land. The  Caisar  and  Le  Pluton  were  still  foul  of  each 
other,  though  a  rear-admiral's  flag  was  flying  at  the  mizzen 
of  the  first,  while  that  which  had  so  lately  fluttered  at 
the  royal -masthead  of  the  other  had  disappeared.  The 
Achilles,  Lord  Morganic,  was  still  among  the  French,  more 
to  leeward  than  any  other  English  ship,  without  a  single 
spar  standing.  Her  ensigns  were  flying,  notwithstanding, 
and  the  Thunderer  and  Dublin,  both  in  tolerable  order, 
were  edging  away  rapidly  to  cover  their  crippled  consort; 
though  the  nearest  French  vessels  seemed  more  bent  on 
getting  out  of  the  melee,  and  into  their  own  line  again,  than 
on  securing  any  advantage  already  obtained.  Le  Temeraire 
was  in  the  same  predicament  as  the  Achilles  as  to  spars, 
though  much  more  injured  in  her  hull,  besides  having  thrice 
as  many  casualties.  Her  flag  was  down ;  the  ship  having 
fairly  struck  to  the  Warspite,  whose  boats  were  already 
alongside  of  her.  Le  Foudroyant,  with  quite  one-third  of 
her  crew  killed  and  wounded,  was  running  off  to  leeward, 


THE  TWO   ADMIRALS,  469 

with  signals  flying  for  her  consorts  to  rally  round  her;  but 
within  less  than  ten  minutes  after  she  became  visible  her 
main  and  mizzen  masts  both  went.  The  Blenheim  had  lost 
all  her  topmasts,  like  the  Plantagenet,  and  neither  the  Eliz- 
abeth nor  the  York  had  a  mizzenmast  standing,  although 
engaged  but  a  very  short  time.  Several  lower  yards  were 
shot  away,  or  so  much  injured  as  to  compel  the  ships  to 
shorten  sail;  this  accident  having  occurred  in  both  fleets. 
As  for  the  damage  done  to  the  standing  and  running  rig- 
ging, and  to  the  sails,  it  is  only  necessary  to  say  that 
shrouds,  back  and  headstays,  braces,  bowlines,  and  lifts, 
were  dangling  in  all  directions,  while  the  canvas  that  was 
open  exhibited  all  sorts  of  rents,  from  that  which  had  been 
torn  like  cloth  in  the  shopman's  hands,  to  the  little  eyelet 
holes  of  the  canister  and  grape.  It  appeared,  by  the  sub- 
sequent reports  of  the  two  parties,  that  in  this  short  but 
severe  conflict  the  slain  and  wounded  of  the  English 
amounted  to  seven  hundred  and  sixty-three,  including  offi- 
cers; and  that  of  the  French,  to  one  thousand  four  hundred 
and  twelve.  The  disparity  in  this  respect  would  probably 
have  been  greater  against  the  latter,  had  it  not  been  for  the 
manner  in  which  M.  des  Prez  succeeded  in  doubling  on  his 
enemies. 

Little  need  be  said  in  explanation  of  the  parts  of  this 
battle  that  have  not  been  distinctly  related.  M.  des  Prez 
had  manoeuvred  in  the  manner  he  did,  at  the  commencement 
of  the  affair,  in  the  hope  of  drawing  Sir  Gervaise  down 
upon  the  division  of  the  Comte  de  Vervillin;  and  no  sooner 
did  he  see  the  first  fairly  enveloped  in  smoke  than  he  wore 
short  round  and  joined  in  the  affair,  as  has  been  mentioned. 
At  this  sight,  Bluewater's  loyalty  to  the  Stuarts  could  resist 
no  longer.  Throwing  out  a  general  signal  to  engage,  he 
squared  away,  set  everything  that  would  draw  on  the  Caesar, 
and  arrived  in  time  to  save  his  friend.  The  other  ships 
followed,  engaging  on  the  outside,  for  want  of  room  to  imi- 
tate their  leader. 


470  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

Two  more  of  the  French  ships,  at  least,  in  addition  to  Le 
Tem^raire  and  Le  Pluton,  might  have  been  added  to  the 
list  of  prizes,  had  the  actual  condition  of  their  fleet  been 
known.  But,  at  such  moments,  a  combatant  sees  and  feels 
his  own  injuries,  while  he  has  to  conjecture  many  of  those 
of  his  adversaries;  and  the  English  were  too  much  occupied 
in  making  the  provisions  necessary  to  save  their  remaining 
spars,  to  risk  much  in  order  to  swell  an  advantage  that  was 
already  so  considerable.  Some  distant  firing  passed  be- 
tween the  Thunderer  and  Dublin,  and  L'Ajax,  Le  Dugay 
Trouin,  and  L'Hector,  before  the  two  former  succeeded  in 
getting  Lord  Morgan ic  out  of  his  difficulties;  but  it  led  to 
no  material  result;  merely  inflicting  new  injuries  on  cer- 
tain spars  that  were  sufficiently  damaged  before,  and  killing 
and  wounding  some  fifteen  or  twenty  men  quite  uselessly. 
As  soon  as  the  vice-admiral  saw  what  was  likely  to  be  the 
effects  of  this  episode,  he  called  off  Captain  O'Neil  of  the 
Dublin,  by  signal,  he  being  an  officer  of  a  "  hot  temper,"  as 
the  soldier  said  of  himself  at  Waterloo.  The  compliance 
with  this  order  may  be  said  to  have  terminated  the  battle. 

The  reader  will  remember  that  the  wind,  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  engagement,  was  at  northwest.  It  was 
nearly  "killed,"  as  seamen  express  it,  by  the  cannonade; 
then  it  revived  a  little,  as  the  concussions  of  the  guns  grad- 
ually diminished.  But  the  combined  effect  of  the  advance 
of  the  day,  and  the  rushing  of  new  currents  of  air  to  fill  the 
vacuums  produced  by  the  burning  of  so  much  powder,  was 
a  sudden  shift  of  wind ;  a  breeze  coming  out  strong,  and  as 
it  might  be,  in  an  instant,  from  the  eastward.  This  unex- 
pected alteration  in  the  direction  and  power  of  the  wind 
cost  the  Thunderer  her  foremast,  and  did  other  damage  to 
different  ships;  but,  by  dint  of  great  activity  and  careful 
handling,  all  the  English  vessels  got  their  heads  round  to 
the  northward,  while  the  French  filled  the  other  way,  and 
went  off  free,  steering  nearly  southeast,  making  the  best  of 
their  way  for  Brest.     The  latter  suffered  still  more  than 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  4/1 

their  enemies,  by  the  change  just  mentioned;  and  when 
they  reached  port,  as  did  all  but  one  the  following  day,  no 
less  than  three  were  towed  in  without  a  spar  standing,  bow- 
sprits excepted. 

The  exception  was  Le  Caton,  which  ship  M.  de  Vervillin 
set  fire  to  and  blew  up,  on  account  of  her  damages,  in  the 
course  of  the  afternoon.  Thus  of  twelve  noble  two-decked 
ships  with  which  this  officer  sailed  from  Cherbourg  only 
two  days  before,  he  reached  Brest  with  but  seven. 

Nor  were  the  English  entirely  without  their  embarrass- 
ments. Although  the  Warspite  had  compelled  Le  Temeraire 
to  strike,  she  was  kept  afloat  herself  with  a  good  deal  of 
difficulty,  and  that,  too,  not  without  considerable  assistance 
from  the  other  vessels.  The  leaks,  however,  were  eventu- 
ally stopped,  and  then  the  ship  was  given  up  to  the  care  of 
her  own  crew.  Other  vessels  suffered,  of  course,  but  no 
English  ship  was  in  as  much  jeopardy  as  this. 

The  first  hour  after  the  action  ceased  was  one  of  great 
exertion  and  anxiety  to  our  admiral.  He  called  the  Chloe 
alongside  by  signal,  and,  attended  by  Wycherly  and  his 
own  quartermasters,  Galleygo,  who  went  without  orders, 
and  the  Bowlderos  who  were  unhurt,  he  shifted  his  flag  to 
that  frigate.  Then  he  immediately  commenced  passing 
from  vessel  to  vessel,  in  order  to  ascertain  the  actual  con- 
dition of  his  command.  The  Achilles  detained  him  some 
time,  and  he  was  near  her,  or  to  leeward,  when  the  wind 
shifted;  which  was  bringing  him  to  windward  in  the  pres- 
ent state  of  things.  Of  this  advantage  he  availed  himself, 
by  urging  the  different  ships  off  as  fast  as  possible;  and 
long  before  the  sun  was  in  the  meridian  all  the  English 
vessels  were  making  the  best  of  their  way  toward  the  land, 
with  the  intention  of  fetching  into  Plymouth  if  possible;  if 
not,  into  the  nearest  and  best  anchorage  to  leeward.  The 
progress  of  the  fleet  was  relatively  slow,  as  a  matter  of 
course,  though  it  got  along  at  the  rate  of  some  five  knots, 
by  making  a  free  wind  of  it. 


472  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

The  master  of  the  Chloe  had  just  taken  the  sun,  in  order 
to  ascertain  his  latitude,  when  the  vice-admiral  commanded 
Denham  to  set  topgallantsails,  and  go  within  hail  of  the 
Caesar,  That  ship  had  got  clear  of  Le  Pluton  half  an  hour 
after  the  action  ceased,  and  she  was  now  leading  the  fleet, 
with  her  three  topsails  on  the  caps.  Aloft  she  had  suffered 
comparatively  little;  but  Sir  Gervaise  knew  that  there  must 
have  been  a  serious  loss  of  men  in  carrying,  hand  to  hand, 
a  vessel  like  that  of  M.  des  Prez.  He  was  anxious  to  see 
his  friend,  and  to  hear  the  manner  in  which  his  success  had 
been  obtained,  and,  we  might  add,  to  remonstrate  with  Blue- 
water  on  a  course  that  had  led  the  latter  to  the  verge  of  a 
most  dangerous  abyss. 

The  Chloe  was  half  an  hour  running  through  the  fleet, 
which  was  a  good  deal  extended,  and  was  sailing  without 
any  regard  to  a  line.  Sir  Gervaise  had  many  questions  to 
ask,  too,  of  the  different  commanders  in  passing.  At  last  the 
frigate  overtook  Le  Temeraire,  which  vessel  was  following 
the  Cassar  under  easy  canvas.  As  the  Chloe  came  up  a  beam. 
Sir  Gervaise  appeared  in  the  gangway  of  the  frigate,  and,  hat 
in  hand,  he  asked  with  an  accent  that  was  intelligible,  though 
it  might  not  have  absolutely  stood  the  test  of  criticism : 

"  Le  Vice- Admiral  Oakes  demande  comment  se  porte-il^  le 
contre-amiraly  le  Vicomte  des  Prez  1 " 

A  little  elderly  man,  dressed  with  extreme  care,  with  a 
powdered  head,  but  of  a  firm  step  and  perfectly  collected 
expression  of  countenance,  appeared  on  the  verge  of  Le 
Tdmeraire's  poop,  trumpet  in  hand,  to  reply: 

*'  Le  Vicomte  des  Prez  remercie  bien  Monsieur  le  Chevalier 
Oake^  et  dhire  vivement  de  savoir  comment  se  porte  Monsieur 
le  V ice- Amir aU" 

Mutual  waves  of  the  trumpets  served  as  replies  to  the 
questions,  and  then,  after  taking  a  moment  to  muster  his 
French,  Sir  Gervaise  continued: 

''^ Pespere  voir  Monsieur  le  Contre-Amiral  a  diner ^  a  cinq 
hcureSy  precis, ^^ 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  473 

The  vicomte  smiled  at  this  characteristic  manifestation  of 
good-will  and  courtesy;  and,  after  pausing  an  instant  to 
choose  an  expression  to  soften  his  refusal,  and  to  express 
his  own  sense  of  the  motive  of  the  invitation,  he  called 
out: 

"  Veuillez  biefi  recevoi?-  7ios  excuses  pour  aujourcT hut,  Mons. 
le  Chevalier.  Nous  iC avons  pas  encore  digere  le  repas  si  noble 
re^u  a  vos  mains  cofnme  dejeuner.'''' 

The  Chloe  passing  ahead,  bows  terminated  the  interview. 
Sir  Gervaise's  French  was  at  fault,  for  what  between  the 
rapid,  neat  pronunciation  of  the  Frenchman,  the  trumpet, 
and  the  turn  of  the  expression,  he  did  not  comprehend  the 
meaning  of  the  co?itre-amiral. 

"What  does  he  say,  Wychecombe?"  he  asked  eagerly  of 
the  young  man.     "  Will  he  come,  or  not?" 

"Upon  my  word,  Sir  Gervaise,  French  is  a  sealed  lan- 
guage to  me.  Never  having  been  a  prisoner,  no  opportunity 
has  offered  for  acquiring  the  language.  As  I  understood, 
you  intended  to  ask  him  to  dinner;  I  rather  think,  from  his 
countenance,  he  meant  to  say  he  was  not  in  spirits  for  the 
entertainment." 

"Pooh!  we  would  have  put  him  in  spirits,  and  Bluewater 
could  have  talked  to  him  in  his  own  tongue,  by  the  fathom. 
We  will  close  with  the  Caesar  to  leeward,  Denham;  never 
mind  rank  on  an  occasion  like  this.  It's  time  to  let  the 
topgallant-halyards  run;  you'll  have  to  settle  your  topsails 
too,  or  we  shall  shoot  past  her.  Bluewater  may  take  it  as  a 
salute  to  his  gallantry  in  carrying  so  fine  a  ship  in  so  hand- 
some a  manner." 

Several  minutes  now  passed  in  silence,  during  which  the 
frigate  was  less  and  less  rapidly  closing  with  the  larger 
vessel,  drawing  ahead  toward  the  last,  as  it  might  be,  foot 
by  foot.  Sir  Gervaise  got  upon  one  of  the  quarter-deck 
guns,  and,  steadying  himself  against  the  hammock-cloths, 
he  was  in  readiness  to  exchange  the  greetings  he  was  accus- 
tomed to  give  and  to  receive  from  his  friend,  in  the  same 


474  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

heartfelt  manner  as  if  nothing  had  occurred  to  disturb  the 
harmony  of  their  feelings.  The  single  glance  of  the  eye, 
the  waving  of  the  hat,  and  the  noble  manner  in  which 
Bluewater  interposed  between  him  and  his  most  dangerous 
enemy,  was  still  present  to  his  mind,  and  disposed  him  even 
more  than  common  to  the  kindest  feelings  of  his  nature. 
Stowel  was  already  on  the  poop  of  the  Caesar,  and,  as  the 
Chloe  came  slowly  on,  he  raised  his  hat  in  deference  to  the 
commander-in-chief.  It  was  a  point  of  delicacy  with  Sir 
Gervaise  never  to  interfere  with  any  subordinate  flag-officer's 
vessel  any  more  than  duty  rigidly  required;  consequently 
his  communications  with  the  captain  of  the  Caesar  had 
usually  been  of  a  general  nature,  verbal  orders  and  criti- 
cisms being  studiously  avoided.  This  circumstance  ren- 
dered the  commander-in-chief  even  a  greater  favorite  than 
common  with  Stowel,  who  had  all  his  own  way  in  his  own 
ship,  in  consequence  of  the  rear-admiral's  indifference  to 
such  matters. 

"  How  do  you  do,  Stowel.'"'  called  out  Sir  Gervaise,  cordi- 
ally. "  I  am  delighted  to  see  you  on  your  legs,  and  hope  the 
old  Roman  is  not  much  the  worse  for  this  day's  treatment." 

"  I  thank  you.  Sir  Gervaise,  we  are  both  afloat  yet,  though 
we  have  passed  through  warm  times.  The  ship  is  damaged, 
sir,  as  you  may  suppose;  and,  although  it  stands  so  bravely, 
and  looks  so  upright,  that  foremast  of  ours  is  as  good  as  a 
condemned  spar.  One  thirty-two  through  the  heart  of  it, 
about  ten  feet  from  the  deck,  an  eighteen  in  the  hounds, 
and  a  double-header  sticking  in  one  of  the  hoops!  A  spar 
cannot  be  counted  for  much  that  has  as  many  holes  in  it  as 
those,  sir!" 

"  Deal  tenderly  with  it,  my  old  friend,  and  spare  the  can- 
vas; those  chaps  at  Plymouth  will  set  all  to  rights  again 
in  a  week.  Hoops  can  be  had  for  asking,  and  as  for  holes 
in  the  heart,  many  a  poor  fellow  has  had  them,  and  lived 
through  it  all.  You  are  a  case  in  point;  Mrs.  Stowel  not 
having  spared  you  in  that  way,  I'll  answer  for  it." 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  475 

"  Mrs.  Stowel  commands  ashore^  Sir  Gervaise,  and  I  com- 
mand afloat;  and  in  that  way  we  keep  a  quiet  ship  and  a 
quiet  house,  I  thank  you,  sir;  and  I  endeavor  to  think  of 
her  at  sea  as  little  as  possible." 

"  Ay,  that's  the  way  with  you  doting  husbands — always 
ashamed  of  your  own  lively  sensibilities.  But  what  has  be- 
come of  Bluewater?     Does  he  know  that  we  are  alongside?" 

Stowel  looked  round,  cast  his  eyes  up  at  the  sails,  and 
played  with  the  hilt  of  his  sword.  The  rapid  eye  of  the 
commander-in-chief  detected  this  embarrassment,  and  quick 
as  thought  he  demanded  what  had  happened. 

"  Why,  Sir  Gervaise,  you  know  how  it  is  with  some  ad- 
mirals, who  like  to  be  in  everything.  I  told  our  respected 
and  beloved  friend  that  he  had  nothing  to  do  with  board- 
ing ;  that  if  either  of  us  was  to  go,  /  was  the  proper  man ; 
but  that  we  ought  both  to  stick  by  the  ship.  He  answered 
something  about  lost  honor  and  duty,  and  you  know,  sir, 
what  legs  he  has,  when  he  wishes  to  use  them!  One  might 
as  well  think  of  stopping  a  deserter  by  a  halloo;  away  he 
went,  with  the  first  party,  sword  in  hand,  a  sight  I  never 
saw  before,  and  never  wish  to  see  again!  Thus  you  see 
how  it  was,  sir." 

The  commander-in-chief  compressed  his  lips,  until  his 
features  and  indeed  his  whole  form  were  a  picture  of  des- 
perate resolution,  though  his  face  was  as  pale  as  death,  and 
the  muscles  of  his  mouth  twitched,  in  spite  of  all  his  physi- 
cal self-command. 

"  I  understand  you,  sir,"  he  said,  in  a  voice  that  seemed 
to  issue  from  his  chest;  "you  wish  to  say  that  Admiral 
Bluewater  is  killed." 

"No,  thank  God!  Sir  Gervaise,  not  quite  as  bad  as  that, 
though  sadly  hurt;  yes,  indeed,  very  sadly  hurt!" 

Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  groaned,  and  for  a  few  minutes  he 
leaned  his  head  on  the  hammock-cloths,  veiling  his  face 
from  the  sight  of  men.  Then  he  raised  his  person  erect, 
and  said  steadily : 


4/6  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"Run  your  topsails  to  the  masthead,  Captain  Stowel, and 
round  your  ship  to.     I  will  come  on  board  of  you." 

An  order  was  given  to  Denham  to  take  room,  when  the 
Chloe  came  to  the  wind  on  one  tack  and  the  Caesar  on  the 
other.  This  was  contrary  to  rule,  as  it  increased  the  dis- 
tance between  the  ships;  but  the  vice-admiral  was  impatient 
to  be  in  his  barge.  In  ten  minutes  he  was  mounting  the 
Caesar's  side,  and  in  two  more  he  was  in  Bluewater's  main- 
cabin.  Geoffrey  Cleveland  was  seated  by  the  table,  with 
his  face  buried  in  his  arms.  Touching  his  shoulder,  the 
boy  raised  his  head,  and  showed  a  face  covered  with  tears. 

"How  is  he,  boy?"  demanded  Sir  Gervaise  hoarsely. 
"Do  the  surgeons  give  any  hopes?" 

The  midshipman  shook  his  head,  and  then,  as  if  the  ques- 
tion renewed  his  grief,  he  again  buried  his  face  in  his  arms. 
At  this  moment,  the  surgeon  of  the  ship  came  from  the  rear- 
admiral's  stateroom,  and,  following  the  commander-in-chief 
into  the  after-cabin,  they  had  a  long  conference  together. 

Minute  after  minute  passed,  and  the  Caesar  and  Chloe 
still  lay  with  their  main-topsails  aback.  At  the  end  of  half 
an  hour,  Denham  wore  round  and  laid  the  head  of  his  frig- 
ate in  the  proper  direction.  Ship  after  ship  came  up,  and 
went  on  to  the  northward,  fast  as  her  crippled  state  would 
allow,  yet  no  sign  of  movement  was  seen  in  the  Caesar. 
Two  sail  had  appeared  in  the  southeastern  board,  and  they, 
too,  approached  and  passed  without  bringing  the  vice-admi- 
ral even  on  deck.  These  ships  proved  to  be  the  Carnatic 
and  her  prize,  Le  Scipion,  which  latter  ship  had  been  inter- 
cepted and  easily  captured  by  the  former.  The  steering  of 
M.  de  Vervillin  to  the  southwest  had  left  a  clear  passage  to 
the  two  ships,  which  were  coming  down  with  a  free  wind  at 
a  handsome  rate  of  sailing.  This  news  was  sent  into  the 
Caesar's  cabin,  but  it  brought  no  person  and  no  answer  out 
of  it.  At  length,  when  everything  had  gone  ahead,  the 
barge  returned  to  the  Chloe.  It  merely  took  a  note,  how- 
ever, which  was  no  sooner  read  by  Wycherly  than  he  sum- 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  47/ 

moned  the  Bowlderos  and  Galleygo,  had  all  the  vice-admi- 
ral's luggage  passed  into  the  boat,  struck  his  flag,  and  took 
his  leave  of  Denham.  As  soon  as  the  boat  was  clear  of  the 
frigate,  the  latter  made  all  sail  after  the  fleet,  to  resume  her 
ordinary  duties  of  a  lookout  and  a  repeating-ship. 

As  soon  as  Wycherly  reached  the  Caesar,  that  ship  hoisted 
in  the  vice-admiral's  barge.  A  report  was  made  to  Sir  Ger- 
vaise  of  what  had  been  done,  and  then  an  order  came  on 
deck  that  occasioned  all  in  the  fleet  to  stare  with  surprise. 
The  red  flag  of  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes  was  run  up  at  the  fore- 
royal-masthead  of  the  Caesar,  while  the  white  flag  of  the 
rear-admiral  was  still  flying  at  her  mizzen.  Such  a  thing 
had  never  before  been  known  to  happen,  if  it  has  ever  hap- 
pened since;  and  to  the  time  when  she  was  subsequently 
lost  the  Caesar  was  known  as  the  double  flagship. 


CHAPTER   XXIX. 

**  He  spoke  ;  when  behold  the  fair  Geraldine's  form 
On  the  canvas  enchantingly  glowed  ; 
His  touches,  they  flew  like  the  leaves  in  a  storm  ; 
And  the  pure  pearly  white,  and  the  carnation  warm, 
Contending  in  harmony  flowed." 

Alston. 

We  shall  now  ask  permission  of  the  reader  to  advance  the 
time  just  eight-and-forty  hours;  a  liberty  with  the  unities 
which,  he  will  do  us  the  justice  to  say,  we  have  not  often 
taken.  We  must  also  transfer  the  scene  to  that  already 
described  at  Wychecombe,  including  the  Head,  the  station, 
the  roads,  and  the  inland  and  seaward  views.  Summer 
weather  had  returned,  too,  the  pennants  of  the  ships  at 
anchor  scarce  streaming  from  their  masts  far  enough  to  form 
curved  lines.  Most  of  the  English  fleet  was  among  these 
vessels,  though  the  squadron  had  undergone  some  changes. 
The  Druid  had  got  into  Portsmouth  with  La  Victoire;  the 
Driver  and  Active  had  made  the  best  of  their  way  to  the 


478  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

nearest  ports,  with  dispatches  for  the  admiralty;  and  the 
Achilles,  in  tow  of  the  Dublin,  with  the  Chloe  to  take  care 
of  both,  had  gone  to  leeward,  with  square  yards,  in  the  hope 
of  making  Falmouth.  The  rest  of  the  force  was  present,  the 
crippled  ships  having  been  towed  into  the  roads  that  morn- 
ing. The  picture  among  the  shipping  was  one  of  extreme 
activity  and  liveliness.  Jury-masts  were  going  up  in  the 
Warspite;  lower  and  topsail  yards  were  down  to  be  fished, 
or  new  ones  were  rigging  to  be  sent  aloft  in  their  places; 
the  Plantagenet  was  all  a-tanto,  again,  in  readiness  for  an- 
other action,  with  rigging  secured  and  masts  fished,  while 
none  but  an  instructed  eye  could  have  detected,  at  a  short 
distance,  that  the  Caesar,  Carnatic,  Dover,  York,  Elizabeth, 
and  one  or  two  more  had  been  in  action  at  all.  The  land- 
ing was  crowded  with  boats  as  before,  and  gunroom  servants 
and  midshipmen's  boys  were  foraging  as  usual ;  some  with 
honest  intent  to  find  delicacies  for  the  wounded,  but  more 
with  the  roguish  design  of  contributing  to  the  comforts  of 
the  unhurt,  by  making  appeals  to  the  sympathies  of  the 
women  of  the  neighborhood,  in  behalf  of  the  hurt. 

The  principal  transformation  that  had  been  brought  about 
by  this  state  of  things,  however,  was  apparent  at  the  station. 
This  spot  had  the  appearance  of  a  place  to  which  the  head- 
quarters of  an  army  had  been  transferred,  in  the  vicissitudes 
of  the  field;  warlike  sailors,  if  not  soldiers,  flocking  to  it, 
as  the  centre  of  interest  and  intelligence.  Still  there  was 
a  singularity  observable  in  the  manner  in  which  these  he- 
roes of  the  deck  paid  their  court;  the  cottage  being  seem- 
ingly tabooed,  or  at  most,  approached  by  very  few,  while  the 
grass  at  the  foot  of  the  flagstaff  was  already  beginning  to 
show  proofs  of  the  pressure  of  many  feet.  This  particular 
spot,  indeed,  was  the  centre  of  attraction ;  there  officers  of 
all  ranks  and  ages  wert  constantly  arriving,  and  thence  they 
were  as  often  departing;  all  bearing  countenances  sobered 
by  anxiety  and  apprehension.  Notwithstanding  the  con- 
stant mutations,  there  had  been  no  instant  since  the  rising 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  479 

of  the  sun,  when  some  ten  or  twelve,  at  least,  including  caj> 
tains,  lieutenants,  masters,  and  idlers,  had  not  been  collected 
around  the  bench  at  the  foot  of  the  signal-staff,  and  fre- 
quently the  number  reached  even  to  twenty. 

A  little  retired  from  the  crowd,  and  near  the  verge  of  the 
cliff,  a  large  tent  had  been  pitched.  A  marine  paced  in  its 
front,  as  a  sentinel.  Another  stood  near  the  gate  of  the  lit- 
tle dooryard  of  the  cottage,  and  all  persons  who  approached 
either,  wdth  the  exception  of  a  few  of  the  privileged,  were 
referred  to  the  sergeant  who  commanded  the  guard.  The 
arms  of  the  latter  were  stacked  on  the  grass,  at  hand,  and 
the  men  off  post  were  loitering  near.  These  were  the  usual 
military  signs  of  the  presence  of  officers  of  rank,  and  may, 
in  sooth,  be  taken  as  clews  to  the  actual  state  of  things  on 
and  around  the  Head. 

Admiral  Bluewater  lay  in  the  cottage,  while  Sir  Gervaise 
Oakes  occupied  the  tent.  The  former  had  been  transferred 
to  the  place  where  he  was  about  to  breathe  his  last,  at  his 
own  urgent  request,  while  his  friend  had  refused  to  be  sepa- 
rated from  him,  so  long  as  life  remained.  The  two  flags 
were  still  flying  at  the  mastheads  of  the  Caesar,  a  sort  of 
melancholy  memorial  of  the  tie  that  had  so  long  bound  their 
gallant  owners  in  the  strong  sympathies  of  an  enduring  per- 
sonal and  professional  friendship. 

Persons  of  the  education  of  Mrs,  Button  and  her  daughter 
had  not  dwelt  so  long  on  that  beautiful  headland  without 
leaving  on  the  spot  some  lasting  impressions  of  their  tastes. 
Of  the  cottage,  we  have  already  spoken.  The  little  garden, 
too,  then  bright  with  flowers,  had  a  grace  and  refinement 
about  it  that  we  would  hardly  have  expected  to  meet  in  such 
a  place;  and  even  the  paths  that  led  athwart  the  verdant 
common  which  spread  over  so  much  of  the  upland  had  been 
directed  with  an  eye  to  the  picturesque  and  agreeable.  One 
of  these  paths,  too,  led  to  a  rustic  summer-house — a  sort  of 
small,  rude  pavilion,  constructed,  like  the  fences,  of  frag- 
ments of  wrecks,  and  placed  on  a  shelf  of  the  cliff,  at  a 


480  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

dizzy  elevation,  but  in  perfect  security.  So  far  from  there 
being  any  danger  in  entering  this  summer-house,  indeed, 
Wycherly,  during  his  six  months'  residence  near  the  Head, 
had  made  a  path  that  descended  still  lower,  to  a  point  that 
was  utterly  concealed  from  all  eyes  above,  and  had  actually 
planted  a  seat  on  another  shelf  with  so  much  security  that 
both  Mildred  and  her  mother  often  visited  it  in  company. 
During  the  young  man's  recent  absence,  the  poor  girl,  in- 
deed, had  passed  much  of  her  time  there,  weeping  and 
suffering  in  solitude.  To  this  seat  Button  never  ventured; 
the  descent,  though  well  protected  with  ropes,  requiring 
greater  steadiness  of  foot  and  head  than  intemperance  had 
left  him.  Once  or  twice,  Wycherly  had  induced  Mildred  to 
pass  an  hour  with  him  alone  in  this  romantic  place,  and 
some  of  his  sweetest  recollections  of  this  just-minded  and 
intelligent  girl  were  connected  with  the  frank  communica- 
tions that  had  there  occurred  between  them.  On  this  bench 
he  was  seated  at  the  time  of  the  opening  of  the  present 
chapter.  The  movement  on  the  Head,  and  about  the  cot- 
tage, was  so  great  as  to  deprive  him  of  every  chance  of  see- 
ing Mildred  alone,  and  he  had  hoped  that,  led  by  some  secret 
sympathy,  she,  too,  might  seek  this  perfecily  retired  seat,  to 
obtain  a  moment  of  unobserved  solitude,  if  not  from  some 
still  dearer  motive.  He  had  not  waited  long  ere  he  heard 
a  heavy  loot  over  his  head,  and  a  man  entered  the  summer- 
house.  He  was  yet  debating  whether  to  abandon  all  hopes 
of  seeing  Mildred,  when  his  acute  ear  caught  her  light  and 
well-known  footstep,  as  she  reached  the  summer-house 
also. 

"  Father,  I  have  come  as  you  desired,"  said  the  poor  girl, 
in  those  tremulous  tones  which  Wycherly  too  well  under- 
stood not  to  imagine  the  condition  of  Button.  "Admiral 
Bluewater  dozes,  and  mother  has  permitted  me  to  steal 
away." 

"Ay,  Admiral  Bluewater  is  a  great  man,  though  but  little 
better  than  a  dead  one!"  answered  Button,  as  harshly  in 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  48 1 

manner  as  the  language  was  coarse.  "  You  and  your  mother 
are  all  attention  to  him  ;  did  /  lie  in  his  place,  which  of  you 
would  be  found  hanging  over  my  bed,  with  pale  cheeks  and 
tearful  eyes.'"' 

"  Both  of  us,  father!  Do  not — do  not  think  so  ill  of  your 
wife  and  daughter  as  to  suppose  it  possible  that  either  of 
them  could  forget  her  duty." 

"Yes,  duty  might  do  something,  perhaps;  what  has  duty 
to  do  with  this  useless  rear-admiral  .'*  I  hate  the  scoundrel 
— he  was  one  of  the  court  that  cashiered  me ;  and  one,  too, 
that  I  am  told,  was  the  most  obstinate  in  refusing  to  help 
me  into  this  pitiful  berth  of  a  master." 

Mildred  was  silent.  She  could  not  vindicate  her  friend 
without  incriminating  her  father.  As  for  Wycherly,  he 
would  have  given  a  year's  income  to  be  at  sea;  yet  he 
shrunk  from  wounding  the  poor  daughter's  feelings  by  let- 
ting her  know  he  overheard  the  dialogue.  This  indecision 
made  him  the  unwilling  auditor  of  a  conversation  that  he 
ought  not  to  have  heard — an  occurrence  which,  had  there 
been  time  for  reflection,  he  would  have  taken  means  to 
prevent. 

"  Sit  you  down  here,  Mildred,"  resumed  Button  sternly, 
"and  listen  to  what  I  have  to  say.  It  is  time  that  there 
should  no  longer  be  any  trifling  between  us.  You  have  the 
fortunes  of  your  mother  and  myself  in  your  hands ;  and,  as 
one  of  the  parties  so  deeply  concerned,  I  am  determined 
mine  shall  be  settled  at  once." 

"  I  do  not  understand  you,  father,"  said  Mildred,  with  a 
tremor  in  her  voice  that  almost  induced  the  young  man  to 
show  himself,  though  we  owe  it  to  truth  to  say  that  a  lively 
curiosity  now  mingled  with  his  other  sensations.  "  How 
can  I  have  the  keeping  of  dear  mother's  fortunes  and 
yours?" 

^^ Dear  mother,  truly! — Dear  enough  has  she  proved  to 
me;  but  I  intend  the  daughter  shall  pay  for  it.  Hark  you, 
Mildred;  I'll  have  no  more  of  this  trifling— but  J  ask  you, 
31 


482  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

in  a  father's  name,  if  any  man  has  offered  you  his  hand? 
Speak  plainly,  and  conceal  nothing — I  will  be  answered." 

"  I  wish  to  conceal  nothing,  father,  that  ought  to  be  told; 
but,  when  a  young  woman  declines  the  honor  that  another 
does  her  in  this  way,  ought  she  to  reveal  the  secret,  even  to 
her  father?" 

"  She  ought ;  and,  in  your  case,  she  shall.  No  more  hesi- 
tation ;  name  one  of  the  offers  you  have  had." 

Mildred,  after  a  brief  pause,  in  a  low,  tremulous  voice, 
pronounced  the  name  of  "  Mr.  Rotherham." 

"I  suspected  as  much,"  growled  Button;  "there  was  a 
time  when  even  he  might  have  answered,  but  we  can  do  bet- 
ter than  that  now.  Still  he  may  be  kept  as  a  reserve;  the 
thousand  pounds  Mr.  Thomas  says  shall  be  paid,  and  that 
and  the  living  will  make  a  comfortable  port  after  a  stormy 
life.  Well,  who  next,  Mildred?  Has  Mr.  Thomas  Wyche- 
combe  ever  come  to  the  point?" 

"  He  has  asked  me  to  become  his  wife,  within  the  last 
twenty-four  hours ;  if  that  is  what  you  mean." 

"  No  affectations,  Milly;  I  can't  bear  them.  You  know 
well  enough  what  I  mean.     What  was  your  answer?" 

"  I  do  not  love  him  in  the  least,  father,  and,  of  course,  I 
told  him  I  could  not  marry  him." 

"That  don't  follow  of  course^  by  any  means,  girl!  The 
marrying  is  done  by  the  priest,  and  the  love  is  a  very 
different  thing.  I  hope  you  consider  Mrs.  Dutton  as  my 
wife?" 

"  What  a  question !"  murmured  Mildred. 

"  Well,  and  do  you  suppose  she  loves  me ;  can  love  me, 
now  I  am  a  disgraced,  impoverished  man?" 

"Father!" 

"Come — come — enough  of  this.  Mr.  Thomas  Wyche- 
combe  may  not  be  legitimate — I  rather  think  he  is  not,  by 
the  proofs  Sir  Reginald  has  produced  within  the  last  day  or 
two;  and  I  understand  his  own  mother  is  dissatisfied  with 
him,  and  that  will  knock  his  claim  flat  aback.     Notwith- 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  483 

standing,  Mildred,  Tom  Wychecombe  has  a  good  six  hun- 
dred a  year  already,  and  Sir  Reginald  himself  admits  that 
he  must  take  all  the  personal  property  the  late  baronet  could 
leave." 

"You  forget,  father,"  said  Mildred,  conscious  of  the  in- 
efficacy  of  any  other  appeal,  "  that  Mr.  Thomas  has  promised 
to  pay  the  legacies  that  Sir  Wycherly  mteiided  XoX^dM^^ 

"  Don't  place  any  expectations  on  that,  Mildred.  I  dare 
say  he  would  settle  ten  of  the  twenty  thousand  on  you  to- 
morrow, if  you  would  consent  to  have  him.  But,  now,  as  to 
this  new  baronet,  for  it  seems  he  is  to  have  both  title  and 
estate — has  he  ever  offered?" 

There  was  a  long  pause,  during  which  Wycherly  thought 
he  heard  the  hard  but  suppressed  breathing  of  Mildred. 
To  remain  quiet  any  longer,  he  felt  was  as  impossible  as, 
indeed,  his  conscience  told  him  was  dishonorable,  and  he 
sprang  along  the  path  to  ascend  to  the  summer-house.  At 
the  first  sound  of  his  footstep,  a  faint  cry  escaped  Mildred; 
but  when  Wycherly  entered  the  pavilion,  he  found  her  face 
buried  in  her  hands,  and  Button  tottering  forward,  equally 
in  surprise  and  alarm.  As  the  circumstances  would  not 
admit  of  evasion,  the  young  man  threw  aside  all  reserve, 
and  spoke  plainly. 

"  I  have  been  an  unwilling  listener  to  2^ part  of  your  dis- 
course with  Mildred,  Mr.  Button,"  he  said,  "and  can  an- 
swer your  last  question  for  myself.  I  hai^e  offered  my  hand 
to  your  daughter,  sir;  an  offer  that  I  now  renew,  and  the 
acceptance  of  which  would  make  me  the  happiest  man  in 
England.  If  your  influence  could  aid  me — for  she  has 
refused  my  hand." 

"Refused!"  exclaimed  Button,  in  a  surprise  that  over- 
came the  calculated  amenity  of  manner  he  had  assumed  the 
instant  Wycherly  appeared — "  Refused  Sir  Wycherly  Wyche- 
combe! but  it  was  before  your  rights  had  been  as  well 
established  as  they  are  now.  Mildred,  answer  to  this — how 
could  you — nay,  how  dare  you  refuse  such  an  offer  as  this.''" 


484  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

Human  nature  could  not  well  endure  more.  Mildred 
suffered  her  hands  to  fall  helplessly  into  her  lap,  and  ex- 
posed a  face  that  was  lovely  as  that  of  an  angel's,  though 
pale  nearly  to  the  hue  of  death.  Feeling  extorted  the  an- 
swer she  made,  though  the  words  had  hardly  escaped  her 
ere  she  repented  having  uttered  them,  and  had  again  buried 
her  face  in  her  hands: 

"  Father" — she  said — "  could  I — dare  I  to  encourage  Sir 
Wycherly  Wychecombe  to  unite  himself  to  a  family  like 
ours!" 

Conscience  smote  Button  with  a  force  that  nearly  sobered 
him,  and  what  explanation  might  have  followed  it  is  hard  to 
say;  Wycherly,  in  an  undertone,  however,  requested  to  be 
left  alone  with  the  daughter.  Button  had  sense  enough  to 
understand  he  was  de  trop^  and  shame  enough  to  wish  to  es- 
cape. In  half  a  minute,  he  had  hobbled  up  to  the  summit 
of  the  cliff  and  disappeared. 

"  Mildred!  — Z><f^r^j-/  Mildred!" — said  Wycherly  tenderly, 
gently  endeavoring  to  draw  her  attention  to  himself,  ''we 
are  alone  now;  surely — surely — you  will  not  refuse  to  look 
at  me  /" 

"Is  he  gone?"  asked  Mildred,  dropping  her  hands,  and 
looking  wildly  around.  "  Thank  God  !  It  is  over,  for  this 
time,  at  least!  Now,  let  us  go  to  the  house;  Admiral  Blue' 
water  may  miss  me." 

"  No,  Mildred,  not  yet.  You  surely  can  spare  me — me, 
who  have  suffered  so  much  of  late  on  your  account — nay,  by 
your  means — you  can,  in  mercy,  spare  me  a  few  short  min- 
utes. Was  this  the  reason — the  only  reason,  dearest  girl, 
why  you  so  pertinaciously  refused  my  hand?" 

"Was  it  not  sufficient,  Wycherly?"  answered  Mildred, 
afraid  the  chartered  air  might  hear  her  secret.  "  Remember 
who  you  are,  and  what  I  am !  Could  I  suffer  you  to  become 
the  husband  of  one  to  whom  such  cruel,  cruel  propositions 
had  been  made  by  her  own  father!" 

"  I  shall  not  affect  to  conceal  my  horror  of  such  princi- 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  485 

pies,  Mildred,  but  your  virtues  shine  all  the  brighter  by- 
having  flourished  in  their  company.  Answer  me  but  one 
question  frankly,  and  every  other  difficulty  can  be  gotten 
over.  Do  you  love  me  well  enough  to  be  my  wife,  were  you 
an  orphan?" 

Mildred's  countenance  was  full  of  anguish,  but  this  ques- 
tion changed  its  expression  entirely.  The  moment  was  ex- 
traordinary, as  were  the  feelings  it  engendered,  and,  almost 
unconsciously  to  herself,  she  raised  the  hand  that  held  her 
own  to  her  lips,  in  a  sort  of  reverence.  In  the  next  instant 
she  was  encircled  in  the  young  man's  arms,  and  pressed 
with  fervor  to  his  heart. 

"  Let  us  go,"  said  Mildred,  extricating  herself  from  an 
embrace  that  was  too  involuntarily  bestowed  and  too  heart- 
felt to  alarm  her  delicacy.  "  I  feel  certain  Admiral  Blue- 
water  will  miss  me!" 

"  No,  Mildred,  we  cannot  part  thus.  Give  me,  at  least, 
the  poor  consolation  of  knowmg  that  if  this  difficulty  did  not 
exist — that  if  you  were  an  orphan,  for  instance — you  would 
be  mine." 

"  Oh !  Wycherly,  how  gladly — how  gladly ! — But,  say  no 
more — nay " 

This  time  the  embrace  was  longer,  more  fervent  even  than 
before,  and  Wycherly  was  too  much  of  a  sailor  to  let  the 
sweet  girl  escape  from  his  arms  without  imprinting  on  her 
lips  a  kiss.  He  had  no  sooner  relinquished  his  hold  of  the 
slight  person  of  Mildred  ere  it  vanished.  With  this  char- 
acteristic leave-taking,  we  change  the  scene  to  the  tent  of 
Sir  Gervaise  Oakes. 

"  You  have  seen  Admiral  Bluewater?"  demanded  the  com- 
mander-in-chief, as  soon  as  the  form  of  Magrath  darkened 
the  entrance,  and  speaking  with  the  sudden  earnestness  of 
a  man  determined  to  know  the  worst.  "  If  so,  tell  me  at 
once  what  hopes  there  are  for  him." 

"Of  all  the  human  passions,  Sir  Jairvis,"  answered  Ma- 
grath, looking  aside,  to  avoid  the  keen  glance  of  the  other, 


486  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"  hope  is  generally  considered,  by  all  rational  men,  as  the 
most  treacherous  and  delusive;  I  may  add,  of  all  denomi- 
nations or  divisions  of  hope,  that  which  decides  on  life  is  the 
most  unsairtain.  We  all  hope  to  live,  I'm  thinking,  to  a 
good  old  age,  and  yet  how  many  of  us  live  just  long  enough 
to  be  disappointed!" 

Sir  Gervaise  did  not  move  until  the  surgeon  ceased  speak- 
ing; then  he  began  to  pace  the  tent  in  mournful  silence. 
He  understood  Magrath's  manner  so  well  that  the  last  faint 
hope  he  had  felt  from  seeking  his  opinion  was  gone;  he  now 
knew  that  his  friend  must  die.  It  required  all  his  fortitude 
to  stand  up  against  this  blow;  for,  single,  childless,  and 
accustomed  to  each  other  almost  from  infancy,  these  two 
veteran  sailors  had  got  to  regard  themselves  as  merely  iso- 
lated parts  of  the  same  being.  Magrath  was  affected  more 
than  he  chose  to  express,  and  he  blew  his  nose  several  times 
in  a  way  that  an  observer  would  have  found  suspicious. 

"Will  you  confer  on  me  the  favor.  Dr.  Magrath,"  said  Sir 
Gervaise,  in  a  gentle,  subdued  manner,  "  to  ask  Captain 
Greenly  to  come  hither,  as  you  pass  the  flagstaff?" 

"  Most  willingly,  Sir  Jairvis;  and  I  know  he'll  be  any- 
thing but  backward  in  complying." 

It  was  not  long  ere  the  captain  of  the  Plantagenet  made 
his  appearance.  Like  all  around  him,  the  recent  victory 
appeared  to  bring  no  exultation. 

"I  suppose  Magrath  told  you  all,"  said  the  vice-admiral, 
squeezing  the  other's  hand. 

"  He  gives  no  hopes,  Sir  Gervaise,  I  sincerely  regret  to 
say." 

"  I  knew  as  much !  I  knew  as  much !  And  yet  he  is  easy, 
Greenly! — nay,  even  seems  happy.  I  diW  feel  a  little  hope 
that  this  absence  from  suffering  might  be  a  favorable  omen." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  that  much,  sir;  for  I  have  been  think- 
ing that  it  is  my  duty  to  speak  to  the  rear-admiral  on  the 
subject  of  his  brother's  marriage.  From  his  own  silence  on 
the  subject,  it  is  possible — nay,  from  a//  circumstances  it  is 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  48/ 

probable  he  never  knew  of  it,  and  there  may  be  reasons  why 
he  ought  to  be  informed  of  the  affair.  As  you  say  he  is  so 
easy,  would  there  be  an  impropriety  in  mentioning  it  to 
him?" 

Greenly  could  not  possibly  have  made  a  suggestion  that 
was  a  greater  favor  to  Sir  Gervaise.  The  necessity  of  doing, 
his  habits  of  decision,  and  having  an  object  in  view,  con- 
tributed to  relieve  his  mind  by  diverting  his  thoughts  to 
some  active  duty;  and  he  seized  his  hat,  beckoned  Greenly 
to  follow,  and  moved  across  the  hill  with  a  rapid  pace,  tak- 
ing the  path  to  the  cottage.  It  was  necessary  to  pass  the 
flagstaff.  As  this  was  done,  every  countenance  met  the  vice- 
admiral's  glance,  with  a  look  of  sincere  sympathy.  The 
bows  that  were  exchanged  had  more  in  them  than  the  naked 
courtesies  of  such  salutations;  they  were  eloquent  of  feeling 
on  both  sides. 

Bluewater  was  awake,  and  retaining  the  hand  of  Mildred 
affectionately  in  his  own,  when  his  friend  entered.  Relin- 
quishing his  hold,  however,  he  grasped  the  hand  of  the  vice- 
admiral,  and  looked  earnestly  at  him,  as  if  he  pitied  the 
sorrow  that  he  knew  the  survivor  must  feel. 

"  My  dear  Bluewater,"  commenced  Sir  Gervaise,  who 
acted  under  a  nervous  excitement,  as  well  as  from  constitu- 
tional decision,  "  here  is  Greenly  with  something  to  tell 
you  that  we  both  think  you  ought  to  know,  at  a  moment  like 
this." 

The  rear-admiral  regarded  his  friend  intently,  as  if  in- 
viting him  to  proceed. 

"  Why,  it's  about  your  brother  Jack.  I  fancy  you  cannot 
have  known  that  he  was  ever  married,  or  I  think  I  should 
have  heard  you  speak  of  it." 

"Married!"  repeated  Bluewater,  with  great  interest,  and 
speaking  with  very  little  difficulty.  "  I  think  that  must  be 
an  error.  Inconsiderate  and  warm-hearted  he  was,  but 
there  was  only  one  woman  he  could ^  nay,  zvoidd  have  mar- 
ried.    She  is  long  since  dead,  but  not  as  his  wife ;  for  that 


488  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

her  uncle,  a  man  of  great  wealth,  but  of  unbending  will, 
would  never  have  suffered.  He  survived  her,  though  my 
poor  brother  did  not." 

This  was  said  in  a  mild  voice,  for  the  wounded  man 
spoke  equally  without  effort,  and  without  pain. 

"You  hear.  Greenly.-*"  observed  Sir  Gervaise.  "And 
yet  it  is  not  probable  that  you  should  be  mistaken." 

"  Certainly,  I  am  not,  gentlemen.  I  saw  Colonel  Blue- 
water  married,  as  did  another  officer  who  is  at  this  moment 
in  this  very  fleet.  Captain  Blakely  is  the  person  I  mean, 
and  I  know  the  priest  who  performed  the  ceremony  is  still 
living,  a  beneficed  clergyman." 

"This  is  wonderful  to  me!  He  fervently  loved  Agnes 
Hedworth,  but  his  poverty  was  an  obstacle  to  the  union ; 
and  both  died  so  young  that  there  was  little  opportunity  of 
conciliating  the  uncle." 

"That,  sir,  is  your  mistake.  Agnes  Hedworth  was  the 
bride." 

A  noise  in  the  room  interrupted  the  dialogue,  and  the 
three  gentlemen  saw  Wycherly  and  Mildred  stooping  to 
pick  up  the  fragments  of  a  bowl  that  Mrs.  Dutton  had  let 
fall.  The  latter,  apparently  in  alarm  at  the  little  accident, 
had  sunk  back  into  a  seat,  pale  and  trembling. 

"My  dear  Mrs.  Dutton,  take  a  glass  of  water,"  said  Sir 
Gervaise,  kindly  approaching  her;  "your  nerves  have  been 
sorely  tried  of  late ;  else  would  not  such  a  trifle  affect  you." 

"It  is  not  that r'  exclaimed  the  matron  huskily.  "It  is 
not  that /  Oh!  the  fearful  moment  has  come  at  last;  and, 
from  my  inmost  spirit  I  thank  thee,  my  Lord  and  my  God, 
that  it  has  come  free  from  shame  and  disgrace!" 

The  closing  words  were  uttered  on  bended  knees,  and 
with  uplifted  hands. 

"Mother! — dearest,  dearest  mother,"  cried  Mildred,  fall- 
ing on  her  mother's  neck.  "  What  mean  you?  What  new 
misery  has  happened  to-day?" 

"  Mother !    Yes,  sweet  one,  thou  art,  thou  ever  shalt  be 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  489 

my  child!  This  is  the  pang  I  have  most  dreaded;  but  what 
is  an  unknown  tic  of  blood,  to  use,  and  affection,  and  to  a 
mother's  care?  If  I  did  not  bear  thee,  Mildred,  no  natural 
mother  could  have  loved  thee  more,  or  would  have  died  for 
thee  as  willingly!" 

"  Distress  has  disturbed  her,  gentlemen,"  said  Mildred, 
gently  extricating  herself  from  her  mother's  arms,  and  help- 
ing her  to  rise.     "A  few  moments  of  rest  will  restore  her." 

"No,  darling;  it  must  come  now — it  ought  to  come  now 
— after  what  I  have  just  heard,  it  would  be  unpardonable 
not  to  tell  it  noiv.  Did  I  understand  you  to  say,  sir,  that 
you  were  present  at  the  marriage  of  Agnes  Hedworth,  and 
that,  too,  with  the  brother  of  Admiral  Bluewater?" 

'•  Of  that  fact,  there  can  be  no  question,  madam,  I  and 
others  will  testify  to  it.  The  marriage  took  place  in  Lon- 
don, in  the  summer  of  1725,  while  Blakely  and  myself  were 
up  from  Portsmouth,  on  leave.  Colonel  Bluewater  asked  us 
both  to  be  present,  under  a  pledge  of  secresy." 

"And  in  the  summer  of  1726,  Agnes  Hedworth  died  in 
my  house  and  my  arms,  an  hour  after  giving  birth  to  this 
dear,  this  precious  child— Mildred  Dutton,  as  she  has  ever 
since  been  called — Mildred  Bluewater,  as  it  would  seem  her 
name  should  be." 

It  is  unnecessary  to  dwell  on  the  surprise  with  which  all 
present,  or  the  delight  with  which  Bluewater  and  Wycherly 
heard  this  extraordinary  announcement.  A  cry  escaped 
Mildred,  who  threw  herself  on  Mrs.  Dutton's  neck,  entwin- 
ing it  with  her  arms,  convulsively,  as  if  refusing  to  permit 
the  tie  that  had  so  long  bound  them  together  to  be  thus 
rudely  torn  asunder.  But  half  an  hour  of  weeping,  and  of 
the  tenderest  consolations,  calmed  the  poor  girl  a  little,  and 
she  was  able  to  listen  to  the  explanations.  These  were  ex- 
ceedingly simple,  and  so  clear  as,  in  connection  with  the 
other  evidence,  to  put  the  facts  out  of  all  doubt. 

Miss  Hedworth  had  become  known  to  Mrs.  Dutton  while 
the  latter  was  an  inmate  of  the  house  of  her  patron.     A  year 


490  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

or  two  after  the  marriage  of  the  lieutenant,  and  while  he 
was  on  a  distant  station,  Agnes  Hedworth  threw  herself  on 
the  protection  of  his  wife,  asking  a  refuge  for  a  woman  in 
the  most  critical  circumstances.  Like  all  who  knew  Agnes 
Hedworth,  Mrs.  Button  both  respected  and  loved  her;  but 
the  distance  created  between  them,  by  birth  and  station,  was 
such  as  to  prevent  any  confidence.  The  former,  for  the  few 
days  passed  with  her  humble  friend,  had  acted  with  the  quiet 
dignity  of  a  woman  conscious  of  no  wrong;  and  no  questions 
could  be  asked  that  implied  doubts.  A  succession  of  faint- 
ing-fits prevented  all  communications  in  the  hour  of  death, 
and  Mrs.  Button  found  herself  left  with  a  child  on  her 
hands,  and  the  dead  body  of  her  friend.  Miss  Hedworth 
had  come  to  her  dwelling  unattended  and  under  a  false  name. 
These  circumstances  induced  Mrs.  Button  to  apprehend  the 
worst,  and  she  proceeded  to  make  her  arrangements  with 
great  tenderness  for  the  reputation  of  the  deceased.  The 
body  was  removed  to  London,  and  letters  were  sent  to  the 
uncle  to  inform  him  where  it  was  to  be  found,  with  a  refer- 
ence should  he  choose  to  inquire  into  the  circumstances  of 
his  niece's  death.  Mrs.  Button  ascertained  that  the  body 
was  interred  in  the  usual  manner,  but  no  inquiry  was  ever 
made  concerning  the  particulars.  The  young  duchess, 
Miss  Hedworth's  sister,  was  then  travelling  in  Italy,  whence 
she  did  not  return  for  more  than  a  year;  and  we  may  add, 
though  Mrs.  Button  was  unable  to  make  the  explanation, 
that  her  inquiries  after  the  fate  of  a  beloved  sister  were  met 
by  a  simple  statement  that  she  had  died  suddenly,  on  a 
visit  to  a  watering-place,  whither  she  had  gone  with  a  female 
friend  for  her  health.  Whether  Mr.  Hedworth  himself  had 
any  suspicions  of  his  niece's  condition  is  uncertain;  but 
the  probabilities  were  against  it,  for  she  had  offended  him  by 
refusing  a  match  equal  in  all  respects  to  that  made  by  her 
elder  sister,  with  the  single  exception  that  the  latter  had 
married  a  man  she  loved,  whereas  he  exacted  of  Agnes  a 
very  different  sacrifice.     Owing  to  the  alienation  produced 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  49I 

by  this  affair,  there  was  little  communication  between  the 
uncle  and  niece ;  the  latter  passing  her  time  in  retirement, 
and  professedly  with  friends  that  the  former  neither  knew 
nor  cared  to  know.  In  short,  such  was  the  mode  of  life  of 
the  respective  parties  that  nothing  was  easier  than  for  the 
unhappy  young  widow  to  conceal  her  state  from  her  uncle. 
The  motive  was  the  fortune  of  the  expected  child ;  this  uncle 
having  it  in  his  power  to  alienate  from  it,  by  will,  if  he  saw 
fit,  certain  family  property,  that  might  otherwise  descend  to 
the  issue  of  the  two  sisters,  as  his  co-heiresses.  What  might 
have  happened  in  the  end,  or  what  poor  Agnes  meditated 
doing,  can  never  be  known ;  death  closing  the  secret  with 
his  irremovable  seal. 

Mrs.  Button  was  the  mother  of  a  girl  but  three  months 
old,  at  the  time  this  little  stranger  was  left  on  her  hands. 
A  few  weeks  later  her  own  child  died;  and,  having  waited 
several  months  in  vain  for  tidings  from  the  Hedworth  fam- 
ily, she  had  the  surviving  infant  christened  by  the  same 
name  as  that  borne  by  her  own  daughter,  and  soon  came  to 
love  it,  as  much,  perhaps,  as  if  she  had  borne  it.  Three 
years  passed  in  this  manner,  when  the  time  drew  near  for 
the  return  of  her  husband  from  the  East  Indies.  To  be 
ready  to  meet  him,  she  changed  her  abode  to  a  naval  port, 
and,  in  so  doing,  changed  her  domestics.  This  left  her 
accidentally,  but  fortunately,  as  she  afterward  thought,  com- 
pletely mistress  of  the  secret  of  Mildred's  birth;  the  one  or 
two  others  to  whom  it  was  known  being  in  stations  to  render 
it  improbable  they  should  ever  communicate  anything  on  the 
subject,  unless  it  were  asked  of  them.  Her  original  inten- 
tion, however,  was  to  communicate  the  facts,  without  reserve, 
to  her  husband.  But  he  came  back  an  altered  man ;  brutal 
in  manners,  cold  in  his  affections,  and  the  victim  of  drunk- 
enness. By  this  time,  the  wife  was  too  much  attached  to 
the  child  to  think  of  exposing  it  to  the  wayward  caprices  of 
such  a  being;  and  Mildred  was  educated,  and  grew  in  sta- 
ture and  beauty  as  the  real  offspring  of  her  reputed  parents. 


492  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

All  this  Mrs.  Dutton  related  clearly  and  briefly,  refrain- 
ing, of  course,  from  making  any  allusion  to  the  conduct  of 
her  husband,  and  referring  all  her  own  benevolence  to  her 
attachment  to  the  child.  Bluewater  had  strength  enough  to 
receive  Mildred  in  his  arms,  and  he  kissed  her  pale  cheek, 
again  and  again,  blessing  her  in  the  most  fervent  and  solemn 
manner. 

"  My  feelings  were  not  treacherous  or  unfaithful,"  he 
said;  "I  loved  thee,  sweetest,  from  the  first.  Sir  Gervaise 
Oakes  has  my  will,  made  in  thy  favor,  before  we  sailed  on 
this  last  cruise,  and  ever}'  shilling  I  leave  will  be  thine. 
Mr.  Atwood,  procure  that  will,  and  add  a  codicil  explaining 
this  recent  discovery,  and  confirming  the  legacy;  let  not  the 
last  be  touched,  for  it  is  spontaneous  and  comes  from  the 
heart." 

"  And,  now,"  answered  Mrs.  Dutton,  "  enough  has  passed 
for  once.  The  sick-bed  should  be  more  quiet.  Give  me 
my  child,  again  : — I  cannot  yet  consent  to  part  with  her  for- 
ever." 

"Mother!  mother!"  exclaimed  Mildred,  throwing  herself 
on  Mrs.  Button's  bosom — "  I  am  yours,  and  yours  only." 

"  Not  so,  I  fear,  Mildred,  if  all  I  suspect  be  true,  and  this 
is  as  proper  a  moment  as  another  to  place  that  matter  also 
before  your  honored  uncle.  Come  forward,  Sir  Wycherly — 
I  have  understood  you  to  say,  this  minute,  in  my  ear,  that 
you  hold  the  pledge  of  this  wilful  girl  to  become  your  wife, 
should  she  ever  be  an  orphan.  An  orphan  she  is,  and  has 
been  since  the  first  hour  of  her  birth." 

"  No — no — no,"  murmured  Mildred,  burying  her  face  still 
deeper  in  her  mother's  bosom,  ''not  while ^(?«  live,  can  I  be 
an  orphan.  Not  now — another  time — this  is  unseasonable 
— cruel — nay,  it  is  not  what  I  said." 

"  Take  her  away,  dearest  Mrs.  Dutton,"  said  Bluewater, 
tears  of  joy  forcing  themselves  from  his  eyes.  "  Take  her 
away,  lest  too  much  happiness  come  upon  me  at  once.  My 
thoughts  should  be  calmer  at  such  a  moment." 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  493 

Wycherly  removed  Mildred  from  her  mother's  arms,  and 
gently  led  her  from  the  room.  When  in  Mrs.  Button's 
apartment,  he  whispered  something  in  the  ear  of  the  agitated 
girl  that  caused  her  to  turn  on  him  a  look  of  happiness, 
though  it  came  dimmed  with  tears;  then  he  had  his  turn  of 
holding  her,  for  another  precious  instant,  to  his  heart. 

"  My  dear  Mrs.  Button — nay,  my  dear  mother^''  he  said, 
"  Mildred  and  myself  have  both  need  of  parents.  I  am  an 
orphan  like  herself,  and  we  can  never  consent  to  part  with 
you.  Look  forward,  I  entreat  you,  to  making  one  of  our 
family  in  all  things,  for  never  can  either  Mildred  or  myself 
ease  to  consider  you  as  anything  but  a  parent  entitled  to 
more  than  common  reverence  and  affection." 

Wycherly  had  hardly  uttered  this  proper  speech,  when  he 
received  what  he  fancied  a  tenfold  reward.  Mildred,  in  a 
burst  of  natural  feeling,  without  affectation  or  reserve,  but 
yielding  to  her  heart  only,  threw  her  arms  around  his  neck, 
murmured  the  word  "  thanks"  several  times,  and  wept  freely 
on  his  bosom.  When  Mrs.  Button  received  the  sobbing 
girl  from  him,  Wycherly  kissed  the  mother's  cheek,  and  he 
left  the  room. 

Admiral  Bluewater  would  not  consent  to  seek  his  repose 
until  he  had  a  private  conference  with  his  friend  and  Wych- 
erly. The  latter  was  frankness  and  liberality  itself,  but  the 
former  would  not  wait  for  settlements.  These  he  trusted  to 
the  young  man's  honor.  His  own  time  was  short,  and  he 
should  die  perfectly  happy  could  he  leave  his  niece  in  the 
care  of  one  like  our  Virginian.  He  wished  the  marriage  to 
take  place  in  his  presence.  On  this,  he  even  insisted,  and, 
of  course,  Wycherly  made  no  objections,  but  went  to  state 
the  case  to  Mrs.  Button  and  Mildred. 

"  It  is  singular,  Bick,"  said  Sir  Gervaise,  wiping  his 
eyes,  as  he  looked  from  a  window  that  commanded  a  view 
of  the  sea,  "  that  I  have  left  both  our  flags  flying  in  the 
Caesar!  I  declare,  the  oddness  of  the  circumstance  never 
struck  me  till  this  minute." 


494  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"Let  them  float  thus  a  little  longer,  Gervaise.  They 
have  faced  many  a  gale  and  many  a  battle  together,  and 
may  endure  each  other's  company  a  few  hours  longer." 


CHAPTER   XXX. 

"  Compound  of  weakness  and  of  strength, 
Mighty,  yet  ignorant  of  thy  power ! 
Loftier  than  earth,  or  air,  or  sea. 
Yet  meaner  than  the  lowliest  flower  ! 

Margaret  Davidson. 

Not  a  syllable  of  explanation,  reproach,  or  self-accusation 
had  passed  between  the  commander-in-chief  and  the  rear- 
admiral,  since  the  latter  received  his  wound.  Each  party 
appeared  to  blot  out  the  events  of  the  last  few  days,  leaving 
the  long  vista  of  their  past  services  and  friendship  undisfig- 
ured  by  a  single  unsightly  or  unpleasant  object.  Sir  Ger- 
vaise, while  he  retained  an  active  superintendence  of  his 
fleet,  and  issued  the  necessary  orders  right  and  left,  hovered 
around  the  bed  of  Bluewater  with  the  assiduity  and  almost 
with  the  tenderness  of  a  woman ;  still  not  the  slightest  allu- 
sion was  made  to  the  recent  battles,  or  to  anything  that  had 
occurred  in  the  short  cruise.  The  speech  recorded  at  the 
close  of  the  last  chapter  was  the  first  words  he  had  uttered 
which  might,  in  any  manner,  carry  the  mind  of  either  back 
to  events  that  both  might  wish  forgotten.  The  rear-admiral 
felt  this  forbearance  deeply,  and  now  that  the  subject  was 
thus  accidentally  broached  between  them,  he  had  a  desire  to 
say  something  in  continuation.  Still  he  waited  until  the 
baronet  had  left  the  window  and  taken  a  seat  by  his  bed. 

"  Gervaise,"  Bluewater  then  commenced,  speaking  low 
from  weakness,  but  speaking  distinctly  from  feeling,  *'  I  can- 
not die  without  asking  your  forgiveness.  There  were  several 
hours  when  I  actually  meditated  treason — I  will  not  say  to 
my  king ;  on  that  point  my  opinions  are  unchanged — but  to 
you'* 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  495 

"Why  speak  of  this,  Dick?  You  did  not  know  yourself 
when  you  believed  it  possible  to  desert  me  in  the  face  of 
the  enemy.  How  much  better  I  judged  of  your  character 
is  seen  in  the  fact  that  I  did  not  hesitate  to  engage  double 
my  force,  well  knowing  that  you  could  not  fail  to  come  to 
my  rescue." 

Bluewater  looked  intently  at  his  friend,  and  a  smile  of 
serious  satisfaction  passed  over  his  pallid  countenance  as 
he  listened  to  Sir  Gervaise's  words,  which  were  uttered  with 
his  usual  warmth  and  sincerity  of  manner. 

"  I  believe  you  know  me  better  than  I  know  my- 
self," he  answered,  after  a  thoughtful  pause;  "yes,  better 
than  I  know  myself.  What  a  glorious  close  to  our 
professional  career  would  it  have  been,  Oakes,  had  I 
followed  you  into  battle,  as  was  our  old  practice,  and 
fallen  in  your  wake,  imitating  your  own  high  exam- 
ple!" 

"  It  is  better  as  it  is,  Dick — if  anything  that  has  so  sad  a 
termination  can  be  well — yes,  it  is  better  as  it  is;  you  have 
fallen  at  my  side^  as  it  were.  We  will  think  or  talk  no  more 
of  this." 

"  We  have  been  friends,  and  close  friends  too,  for  a  long 
period,  Gervaise,"  returned  Bluewater,  stretching  his  arm 
from  the  bed,  with  the  long,  thin  fingers  of  the  hand  ex- 
tended to  meet  the  other's  grasp;  "yet  I  cannot  recall  an 
act  of  yours  which  I  can  justly  lay  to  heart,  as  unkind,  or 
untrue." 

"God  forgive  me,  if  you  can — I  hope  not,  Dick;  most 
sincerely  do  I  hope  not.  It  would  give  me  great  pain  to 
believe  it." 

"  You  have  no  cause  for  self-reproach.  In  no  one  act  or 
thought  can  you  justly  accuse  yourself  with  injuring  me.  I 
should  die  much  happier  could  I  say  the  same  of  myself, 
Oakes!" 

"Thought!  —  Dick?  —  Thought!  You  never  meditated 
aught  against;//^  in  your  whole  life.     The  love  you  bear  me^ 


49^  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

is  the  true  reason  why  you  lie  there,  at  this  blessed  mo- 
ment." 

"  It  is  grateful  to  find  that  I  have  been  understood.  I  am 
deeply  indebted  to  you,  Oakes,  for  declining  to  signal  me 
and  my  division  down,  when  I  foolishly  requested  that  un- 
timely forbearance.  I  was  then  suffering  an  anguish  of 
mind,  to  which  any  pain  of  the  body  I  may  now  endure  is 
an  elysium ;  your  self-denial  gave  time " 

"  For  the  heart  to  prompt  you  to  that  which  your  feelings 
yearned  to  do  from  the  first,  Bluewater,"  interrupted  Sir 
Gervaise.  "  And,  now,  as  your  commanding  officer,  I  en- 
join silence  on  this  subject, y"^r<?z'^r." 

"  I  will  endeavor  to  obey.  It  will  not  be  long,  Oakes, 
that  I  shall  remain  under  your  orders,"  added  the  rear- 
admiral,  with  a  painful  smile.  "  There  should  be  no  charge 
of  mutiny  against  me  in  the  last  act  of  my  life.  You  ought 
to  forgive  the  one  sin  of  omission,  when  you  remember  how 
much  and  how  completely  my  will  has  been  subject  to 
yours,  during  the  last  five-and-thirty  years, — how  little  my 
mind  has  matured  a  professional  thought  that  yours  has  not 
originated!" 

"  Speak  no  more  of  'forgive,'  I  charge  you,  Dick.  That 
you  have  shown  a  girl-like  docility  in  obeying  all  my  orders, 
too,  is  a  truth  I  will  aver  before  God  and  man ;  but  when  it 
comes  to  mind,  I  am  far  from  asserting  that  mine  has  had 
the  mastery.  I  do  believe,  could  the  truth  be  ascertained, 
it  would  be  found  that  I  am,  at  this  blessed  moment,  enjoy- 
ing a  professional  reputation  which  is  more  than  half  due 
to  you." 

"  It  matters  little,  now,  Gervaise — it  matters  little,  now. 
We  were  two  lighted-hearted  and  gay  lads,  Oakes,  when  we 
first  met  as  boys,  fresh  from  school,  and  merry  as  health 
and  spirits  could  make  us." 

"We  were,  indeed,  Dick! — yes,  we  were;  thoughtless 
as  if  this  sad  moment  were  never  to  arrive!" 

"There   were  George   Anson    and  Peter   Warren,    little 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  497 

Charley  Saunders,  Jack  Byng,  and  a  set  of  us,  that  did,  in- 
deed, live  as  if  we  were  never  to  die!  We  carried  our 
lives,  as  it  might  be,  in  our  hands,  Oakes!" 

"There  is  much  of  that,  Dick,  in  boyhood  and  youth. 
But  he  is  happiest,  after  all,  who  can  meet  this  moment  as 
you  do — calmly,  and  yet  without  any  dependence  on  his 
own  merits." 

"  I  had  an  excellent  mother,  Oakes !  Little  do  we  think, 
in  youth,  how  much  we  owe  to  the  unextinguishable  tender- 
ness and  far-seeing  lessons  of  our  mothers !  Ours  both  died 
while  we  were  young,  yet  I  do  think  we  were  their  debtors 
for  far  more  than  we  could  ever  repay." 

Sir  Gervaise  simply  assented,  but  making  no  immediate 
answer,  otherwise,  a  long  pause  succeeded,  during  which 
the  vice-admiral  fancied  that  his  friend  was  beginning  to 
doze.     He  was  mistaken. 

"You  will  be  made  Viscount  Bowldero,  for  these  last 
affairs,  Gervaise,"  the  wounded  man  unexpectedly  observed, 
showing  how  much  his  thoughts  were  still  engrossed  with 
the  interests  of  his  friend,  "  Nor  do  I  see  why  you  should 
again  refuse  a  peerage.  Those  who  remain  in  this  world 
may  well  yield  to  its  usages  and  opinions,  while  they  do 
not  interfere  with  higher  obligations." 

"  I !" — exclaimed  Sir  Gervaise  gloomily.  "  The  thought 
of  so  commemorating  what  has  happened  would  be  worse 
than  defeat  to  me !  No — I  ask  no  change  of  name  to  re- 
mind me  constantly  of  my  loss!" 

Bluewater  looked  grateful,  rather  than  pleased;  but  he 
made  no  answer.  Now  he  fell  into  a  light  slumber,  from 
which  he  did  not  awake  until  the  time  he  had  himself  set 
for  the  marriage  of  Wycherly  and  Mildred.  With  one 
uncle  dead  and  still  unburied,  and  another  about  to  quit  the 
world  forever,  a  rite  that  is  usually  deemed  as  joyous  as  it 
is  solemn  might  seem  unseasonable;  but  the  dying  man 
had  made  it  a  request  that  he  might  have  the  consolation  of 
knowing  ere  he  expired  that  he  left  his  niece  under  the  legal 
32 


498  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

protection  of  one  as  competent  as  he  was  desirous  of  pro- 
tecting her.  The  reader  must  imagine  the  arguments  that 
were  used  for  the  occasion,  but  they  were  such  as  disposed 
all  in  the  end  to  admit  the  propriety  of  yielding  their  or- 
dinary prejudices  to  the  exigencies  of  the  moment.  It  may 
be  well  to  add,  also,  to  prevent  useless  cavilling,  that  the 
laws  of  England  were  not  as  rigid  on  the  subject  of  the 
celebration  of  marriages  in  1745,  as  they  subsequently  be- 
came; and  that  it  was  lawful  then  to  perform  the  ceremony 
in  a  private  house  without  a  license,  and  without  the  pub- 
lishing of  banns,  even;  restrictions  that  were  imposed  a 
few  years  later.  The  penalty  for  dispensing  with  the  pub- 
lication of  banns  was  a  fine  of  ^100,  imposed  on  the 
clergyman,  and  this  fine  Bluewater  chose  to  pay,  rather  than 
leave  the  only  great  object  of  life  that  now  remained  before 
him  unaccomplished.  This  penalty  in  no  degree  impaired 
the  validity  of  the  contract,  though  Mrs.  Button,  as  a 
woman,  felt  averse  to  parting  with  her  beloved  without  a 
rigid  observance  of  all  the  customary  fofms.  The  point  had 
finally  been  disposed  of,  by  recourse  to  arguments  addressed 
to  the  reason  of  this  respectable  woman,  and  by  urging  the 
necessity  of  the  case.  Her  consent,  however,  was  not  given 
without  a  proviso  that  a  license  should  be  subsequently 
procured,  and  a  second  marriage  be  had  at  a  more  fitting 
moment,  should  the  ecclesiastical  authorities  consent  to  the 
same;   a  most  improbable  thing  in  itself. 

Mr.  Rotherham  availed  himself  of  the  statute  inflicting 
the  penalty,  as  an  excuse  for  not  officiating.  His  real  mo- 
tive, however,  was  understood,  and  the  chaplain  of  the 
Plantagenet,  a  divine  of  character  and  piety,  was  substituted 
in  his  place.  Bluewater  had  requested  that  as  many  of  the 
captains  of  the  fleet  should  be  present  as  could  be  collected, 
and  it  was  the  assembling  of  these  warriors  of  the  deep,  to- 
gether with  the  arrival  of  the  clergyman,  that  first  gave 
notice  of  the  approach  of  the  appointed  hour. 

It  is  not  our  intention  to  dwell  on  the  details  of  a  cere- 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  499 

mony  that  had  so  much  that  was  painful  in  its  solemnities. 
Neither  Wycherly  nor  Mildred  made  any  change  in  their 
attire,  and  the  lovely  bride  wept  from  the  time  the  service 
began,  to  the  moment  when  she  left  the  arms  of  her  uncle, 
to  be  received  in  those  of  her  husband,  and  was  supported 
from  the  room.  All  seemed  sad,  indeed,  but  Bluewater;  to 
him  the  scene  was  exciting,  but  it  brought  great  relief  to  his 
mind. 

"  I  am  now  ready  to  die,  gentlemen,"  he  said,  as  the  door 
closed  on  the  new-married  couple.  "  My  last  worldly  care 
is  disposed  of,  and  it  were  better  for  me  to  turn  all  my 
thoughts  to  another  state  of  being.  My  niece.  Lady 
Wychecombe,  will  inherit  the  little  I  have  to  leave;  nor  do 
I  know  that  it  is  of  much  importance  to  substantiate  her 
birth,  as  her  uncle  clearly  bestowed  what  would  have  been 
her  mother's  property  on  her  aunt,  the  duchess.  If  my 
dying  declaration  can  be  of  any  use,  however,  you  hear  it, 
and  can  testify  to  it.  Now  come  and  take  leave  of  me,  one 
by  one,  that  I  may  bless  you  all,  and  thank  you  for  much 
undeserved,  and,  I  fear,  unrequited  love." 

The  scene  that  followed  was  solemn  and  sad.  One  by 
one,  the  captains  drew  near  the  bed,  and  to  each  the  dying 
man  had  something  kind  and  affectionate  to  say.  Even 
the  most  cold-hearted  looked  grave,  and  O'Neil,  a  man  re- 
markable for  a  gaite  de  c(Kiir  that  rendered  the  excitement  of 
battle  some  of  the  pleasantest  moments  of  his  life,  literally 
shed  tears  on  the  hand  he  kissed. 

"Ah!  my  old  friend,"  said  the  rear-admiral,  as  Parker, 
of  the  Carnatic,  drew  near  in  his  customary  meek  and  sub- 
dued manner,  "  you  perceive  it  is  not  years  alone  that  bring 
us  to  our  graves!  They  tell  me  you  have  behaved  as  usual 
in  these  late  affairs;  I  trust  that,  after  a  long  life  of  patient 
and  arduous  services,  you  are  about  to  receive  a  proper 
reward." 

"  I  will  acknowledge,  Admiral  Bluewater,"  returned 
Parker  earnestly,  "that   it  would  be   peculiarly  grateful  to 


500  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

receive  some  mark  of  the  approbation  of  my  sovereign; 
principally  on  account  of  my  dear  wife  and  children.  We 
are  not,  like  yourself,  descended  from  a  noble  family;  but 
must  carve  our  rights  to  distinction,  and  they  who  have 
never  known  honors  of  this  nature  prize  them  highly." 

"Ay,  my  good  Parker,"  interrupted  the  rear-admiral, 
"  and  they  who  have  ever  known  them  know  their  empti- 
ness; most  especially  as  they  approach  that  verge  of  exist- 
ence whence  the  eye  looks  in  a  near  and  fearful  glance,  over 
the  vast  and  unknown  range  of  eternity." 

"  No  doubt,  sir;  nor  am  I  so  vain  as  to  suppose  that  hairs 
which  have  got  to  be  gray  as  mine  can  last  forever.  But, 
what  I  was  about  to  say  is,  that,  precious  as  honors  are  to 
the  humble,  I  would  cheerfully  yield  every  hope  of  the  sort 
I  have,  to  see  you  on  the  poop  of  the  Caesar  again,  with  Mr. 
Cornet  at  your  elbow,  leading  the  fleet,  or  following  the 
motions  of  the  vice-admiral." 

"Thank  you,  my  good  Parker;  that  can  never  be;  nor 
can  I  say  now  that  I  wish  it  might.  When  we  have  cast 
off  from  the  world,  there  is  less  pleasure  in  looking  back 
than  in  looking  ahead.  God  bless  you,  Parker,  and  keep 
you,  as  you  ever  have  been,  an  honest  man." 

Stowel  was  the  last  to  approach  the  bed,  nor  did  he  do  it 
until  all  had  left  the  room  but  Sir  Gervaise  and  himself. 
The  indomitable  good-nature,  and  the  professional  noncha- 
lance of  Bluewater,  by  leaving  every  subordinate  undisturbed 
in  the  enjoyment  of  his  own  personal  caprices,  had  rendered 
the  rear-admiral  a  greater  favorite,  in  one  sense  at  least, 
than  the  commander-in-chief.  Stowel,  by  his  near  connec- 
tion with  Bluewater,  had  profited  more  by  these  peculiari- 
ties than  any  other  oQicer  under  him,  and  the  effect  on  his 
feelings  had  been  in  a  very  just  proportion  to  the  benefits. 
He  could  not  refrain,  it  is  true,  from  remembering  the  day 
when  he  himself  had  been  a  lieutenant  in  the  ship  in  which 
the  rear-admiral  had  been  a  midshipman,  but  he  no  longer 
recollected   the   circumstance   with   the  bitterness   that    it 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  $01 

sometimes  drew  after  it.  On  the  contrary,  it  was  now 
brought  to  his  mind  rnerely  as  the  most  distant  of  the  many 
landmarks  in  their  long  and  joint  services. 

"Well,  Stowel,"  observed  Bluewater,  smiling  sadly,  "even 
the  old  Csesar  must  be  left  behind.  It  is  seldom  a  flag- 
captain  has  not  some  heart-burnings  on  account  of  his 
superior,  and  most  sincerely  do  I  beg  you  to  forget  and  for- 
give any  I  may  have  occasioned  yourself." 

"Heaven  help  me,  sir! — I  was  far,  just  then,  from  think- 
ing of  any  such  thing!  I  was  fancying  how  little  I  should 
have  thought  it  probable,  when  we  were  together  in  the 
Calypso,  that  I  should  ever  be  thus  standing  at  your  bed- 
side. Really,  Admiral  Bluewater,  I  would  rejoice  to  share 
with  you  the  remnant  of  life  that  is  left  me." 

"  I  do  believe  you  would,  Stowel ;  but  that  can  never  be. 
I  have  just  performed  my  last  act  in  this  world,  in  giving 
my  niece  to  Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe." 

"Yes,  sir; — yes,  sir — marriage  is  no  doubt  honorable,  as 
I  often  tell  Mrs.  Stowel,  and  therefore  not  to  be  despised; 
and  yet  it  is  singular  that  a  gentleman  who  has  lived  a 
bachelor  himself  should  fancy  to  see  a  marriage  ceremony 
performed,  and  that,  too,  at  the  cost  of  ^loo,  if  any  person 
choose  to  complain,  just  at  the  close  of  his  own  cruise! 
However,  men  are  no  more  alike  in  such  matters,  than 
women  in  their  domestic  qualities;  and  I  sincerely  hope 
this  young  Sir  Wycherly  may  find  as  much  comfort  in  the 
old  house  I  understand  he  has  a  little  inland  here,  as  you 
and  I  have  had  together,  sir,  in  the  old  Caesar.  I  suppose 
there'll  be  no  co-equals  in  Wychecombe  Hall." 

"  I  trust  not,  Stowel.  But  you  must  now  receive  my  last 
orders,  as  to  the  Caesar " 

"  The  commander-in-chief  has  his  own  flag  flying  aboard 
of  us,  sir!"  interrupted  the  methodical  captain,  in  a  sort  of 
admonitory  way. 

"Nevermind  that,  Stowel; — I'll  answer  for  his  acquies- 
cence.    My  body  must  be  received  on  board,  and  carried 


502  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

round  in  the  ship  to  Plymouth.  Place  it  on  the  main-deck, 
where  the  people  can  see  the  coffin ;  I  would  pass  my  last 
hours  above  ground  in  their  midst." 

"  It  shall  be  done,  sir — yes,  sir,  to  the  letter,  Sir  Gervaise 
not  countermanding.  And  I'll  write  this  evening  to  Mrs. 
Stowel  to  say  she  needn't  come  down,  as  usual,  as  soon  as 
she  hears  the  ship  is  in,  but  that  she  must  wait  until  your 
flag  is  fairly  struck." 

"  I  should  be  sorry,  Stowel,  to  cause  a  moment's  delay  in 
the  meeting  of  husband  and  wife!" 

"Don't  name  it,  Admiral  Bluewater; — Mrs.  Stowel  will 
understand  that  it's  duty ;  and  when  we  married  I  fully  ex- 
plained to  her  that  duty,  with  a  sailor,  came  before  matri- 
mony." 

A  little  pause  succeeded,  then  Bluewater  took  a  final  and 
affectionate  leave  of  his  captain.  Some  twenty  minutes 
elapsed  in  a  profound  silence,  during  which  Sir  Gervaise 
did  not  stir,  fancying  that  his  friend  again  dozed.  But  it 
was  ordered  that  Bluewater  was  never  to  sleep  again,  until 
he  took  the  final  rest  of  the  dead.  It  was  the  mind,  which 
had  always  blazed  above  the  duller  lethargy  of  his  body, 
that  buoyed  him  thus  up,  giving  an  unnatural  impulse  to 
his  physical  powers;  an  impulse,  however,  that  was  but 
momentary,  and  which,  by  means  of  the  reaction,  contributed 
in  the  end,  to  his  more  speedy  dissolution.  Perceiving,  at 
length,  that  his  friend  did  not  sleep,  Sir  Gervaise  drew  near 
his  bed. 

"  Richard,"  he  said  gently,  "  there  is  one  without  who 
pines  to  be  admitted.  I  have  refused  even  his  tears,  under 
the  impression  that  you  felt  disposed  to  sleep." 

"  Never  less  so.  My  mind  appears  to  become  brighter 
and  clearer,  instead  of  fading;  I  think  I  shall  never  sleep, 
in  the  sense  you  mean.  Whoever  the  person  is,  let  him  be 
admitted." 

Receiving  this  permission.  Sir  Gervaise  opened  the  door, 
and   Geoffrey  Cleveland  entered.     At  the   same  moment, 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  5O3 

Galleygo,  who  came  and  went  at  pleasure,  thrust  in  his  own 
ungainly  form.  The  boy's  face  betrayed  the  nature  and  the 
extent  of  his  grief.  In  his  mind,  Admiral  Bluewater  was 
associated  with  all  the  events  of  his  own  professional  life; 
and,  though  the  period  had  in  truth  been  so  short,  in  his 
brief  existence,  the  vista  through  which  he  looked  back 
seemed  quite  as  long  as  that  which  marked  the  friendship 
of  the  two  admirals  themselves.  Although  he  struggled 
manfully  for  self-control,  feeling  got  the  better  of  the  lad, 
and  he  threw  himself  on  his  knees,  at  the  side  of  his  bed, 
sobbing  as  if  his  heart  would  break.  Bluewater's  eye  glis- 
tened, and  he  laid  a  hand  affectionately  on  the  head  of  his 
young  relative. 

"  Gervaise,  you  will  take  charge  of  this  boy  when  I'm 
gone,"  he  said;  "receive  him  in  your  own  ship.  I  leave 
him  to  you,  as  a  very  near  and  dear  professional  legacy. 
Cheer  up — cheer  up — my  brave  boy;  look  upon  all  this  as 
a  sailor's  fortune.     Our  lives  are  the '' 

The  word  ''  king's,"  which  should  have  succeeded, 
seemed  to  choke  the  speaker.  Casting  a  glance  of  mean- 
ing at  his  friend,  with  a  painful  smile  on  his  face,  he  con- 
tinued silent. 

"Ah!  dear  sir,"  answered  the  midshipman,  ingenuously; 
"  I  knew  that  we  might  all  be  killed,  but  it  never  occurred 
to  me  that  an  admiral  could  lose  his  life  in  battle.  I'm 
sure — I'm  sure  you  are  the  very  first  that  has  met  with  this 
accident!" 

"  Not  by  many,  my  poor  Geoffrey.  As  there  are  but 
few  admirals,  few  fall;  but  we  are  as  much  exposed  as 
others." 

"  If  I  had  only  run  that  Monsieur  des  Prez  through  the 
body,  when  we  closed  with  him,"  returned  the  boy,  grating 
his  teeth,  and  looking  all  the  vengeance  for  which,  at  the 
passing  instant,  he  felt  the  desire,  "  it  would  have  been 
something!  I  might  have  done  it,  too,  for  he  was  quite 
unguarded! 


504  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"  It  would  have  been  a  very  bad  thifig^  boy,  to  have 
injured  a  brave  man  uselessly." 

"  Of  what  use  was  it  to  shoot  you,  sir  ?  We  took  their 
ship,  just  the  same  as  if  you  had  not  been  hurt." 

"  I  rather  think,  Geoffrey,  their  ship  was  virtually  taken 
before  I  was  wounded,"  returned  Bluewater,  smiling.  "  But 
I  was  shot  by  a  French  marine,  who  did  no  more  than  his 
duty." 

"Yes,  sir,"  exclaimed  the  boy  impatiently;  "and  he 
escaped  without  a  scratch.  He^  at  least,  ought  to  have  been 
massacred^ 

"Thou  art  bloody-minded,  child;  I  scarce  know  thee. 
Massacred  is  not  a  word  for  either  a  British  nobleman  or  a 
British  sailor.  I  saved  the  life  of  that  marine;  and,  when 
you  come  to  lie,  like  me,  on  your  death-bed,  Geoffrey,  you 
will  learn  how  sweet  a  consolation  can  be  derived  from  the 
consciousness  of  such  an  act;  we  all  need  mercy,  and  none 
ought  to  expect  it  for  themselves  who  do  not  yield  it  to 
others." 

The  boy  was  rebuked,  and  his  feelings  took  a  better, 
though  scarcely  a  more  natural  direction.  Bluewater  now 
spoke  to  him  of  his  newly  discovered  cousin,  and  had  a 
melancholy  satisfaction  in  creating  an  interest  in  behalf  of 
Mildred,  in  the  breast  of  the  noble-hearted  and  ingenuous 
boy.  The  latter  listened  with  respectful  attention,  as  had 
been  his  wont,  until,  deceived  by  the  tranquil  and  benevo- 
lent manner  of  Bluewater,  he  permitted  himself  to  fall  into 
the  natural  delusion  of  believing  the  wound  of  the  rear-ad- 
miral less  serious  than  he  had  supposed,  and  to  begin  to  en- 
tertain hopes  that  the  wounded  man  might  yet  survive. 
Calmed  by  these  feelings,  he  soon  ceased  to  weep;  and, 
promising  discretion,  was  permitted  by  Sir  Gervaise  to  re- 
main in  the  room,  where  he  busied  himself  in  the  offices  of 
a  nurse. 

Another  long  pause  succeeded  this  exciting  little  scene, 
during  which  Bluewater  lay  quietly  communing  with  him- 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  505 

self  and  his  God.  Sir  Gervaise  wrote  orders  and  read  re- 
ports, though  his  eye  was  never  off  the  countenance  of  his 
friend  more  than  a  minute  or  two  at  a  time.  At  length  the 
rear-admiral  aroused  himself  again,  and  began  to  take  an 
interest  once  more,  in  the  persons  and  things  around  him. 

"Galleygo,  my  old  fellow-cruiser,"  he  said,  "  I  leave  Sir 
Gervaise  more  particularly  in  your  care.  As  we  advance 
in  life,  our  friends  decrease  in  numbers ;  it  is  only  those 
that  have  been  well  tried  that  we  can  rely  on." 

"Yes,  Admiral  Blue,  I  knows  that,  and  so  does  Sir  Jarvy. 
Yes,  old  shipmates  afore  young  'uns,  any  day,  and  old  sail- 
ors, too,  afore  green  hands.  Sir  Jarvy's  Bowlderos  are 
good  plate-holders,  and  the  likes  of  that;  but  when  it  comes 
to  heavy  weather,  and  a  hard  strain,  I  thinks  but  little  on 
*em,  all  put  together." 

"  By  the  way,  Oakes,"  said  Bluewater,  with  a  sudden  in- 
terest in  such  a  subject,  that  he  never  expected  to  feel 
again,  "  I  have  heard  nothing  of  the  first  day's  work,  in 
which,  through  the  little  I  have  gleaned  by  listening  to 
those  around  me,  I  understand  you  took  a  two-decker,  be- 
sides dismasting  the  French  admiral.?" 

"Pardon  me,  Dick;  you  had  better  try  and  catch  a  little 
sleep ;  the  subject  of  those  two  days'  work  is  really  painful 
to  me." 

"  Well,  then.  Sir  Jarvy,  if  you  has  an  avarsion  to  telling 
the  story  to  Admiral  Blue,  I  can  do  it,  your  honor,"  put  in 
Galleygo,  who  gloried  in  giving  a  graphic  description  of  a 
sea-fight.  "I  thinks,  now,  a  history  of  that  day  will  com- 
fort a  fiag-hofficer  as  has  been  so  badly  wounded  himself." 

Bluewater  offering  no  opposition,  Galleygo  proceeded 
with  his  account  of  the  evolutions  of  the  ships,  as  we  have 
already  described  them,  succeeding  surprisingly  well  in 
rendering  the  narrative  interesting,  and  making  himself 
perfectly  intelligible  and  clear,  by  his  thorough  knowledge 
and  ready  use  of  the  necessary  nautical  terms.  When  he 
came  to  the  moment  in  which  the  English  line  separated, 


506  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

part  passing  to  windward  and  part  to  leeward  of  the  two 
French  ships,  he  related  the  incident  in  so  clear  and  spirited 
a  manner  that  the  commander-in-chief  himself  dropped  his 
pen,  and  sat  listening  with  pleasure. 

"Who  could  imagine,  Dick,"  Sir  Gervaise  observed, 
"that  those  fellows  in  the  tops  watch  us  so  closely,  and 
could  give  so  accurate  an  account  of  what  passes!" 

"Ah!  Gervaise,  and  what  is  the  vigilance  of  Galleygo  to 
that  of  the  All-seeing  eye!  It  is  a  terrible  thought,  at  an 
hour  like  this,  to  remember  that  nothing  can  be  forgotten. 
I  have  somewhere  read  that  not  an  oath  is  uttered  that  does 
not  continue  to  vibrate  through  all  time,  in  the  wide-spread- 
ing currents  of  sound — not  a  prayer  lisped,  that  its  record 
is  not  also  to  be  found  stamped  on  the  laws  of  nature,  by 
the  indelible  seal  of  the  Almighty's  will!" 

There  was  little  in  common  between  the  religious  im- 
pressions of  the  two  friends.  They  were  both  sailors,  and 
though  the  word  does  not  necessarily  imply  that  they  were 
sinners  in  an  unusual  degree,  neither  does  it  rigidly  imply 
that  they  were  saints.  Each  had  received  the  usual  ele- 
mentary education,  and  then  each  had  been  turned  adrift, 
as  it  might  be  on  the  ocean  of  life,  to  suffer  the  seed  to  take 
root  and  the  fruit  to  ripen  as  best  they  might.  Few  of 
those  "  who  go  down  to  the  great  deep  in  ships,"  and  who 
escape  the  more  brutalizing  effects  of  lives  so  rude,  are  al- 
together without  religious  impressions.  Living  so  much, 
as  it  were,  in  the  immediate  presence  of  the  power  of  God, 
the  sailor  is  much  disposed  to  reverence  his  omnipotence, 
even  while  he  transgresses  his  laws;  but  in  nearly  all  those 
instances  in  which  nature  has  implanted  a  temperament  in- 
clining to  deep  feeling,  as  was  the  case  with  Bluewater,  not 
even  the  harsh  examples,  nor  the  loose  or  irresponsible 
lives  of  men  thus  separated  from  the  customary  ties  of  so- 
ciety, can  wholly  extinguish  the  reverence  for  God  which  is 
created  by  constantly  dwelling  in  the  presence  of  his  earthly 
magnificence.     This  sentiment  in  Bluewater  had  not  been 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  50/ 

altogether  without  fruits,  for  he  both  read  and  reflected 
much.  Sometimes,  though  at  isolated  and  distant  intervals, 
he  even  prayed ;  and  that  fervently,  and  with  a  strong  and 
full  sense  of  his  own  demerits.  As  a  consequence  of  this 
general  disposition,  and  of  the  passing  convictions,  his 
mind  was  better  attuned  for  the  crisis  before  him  than 
would  have  been  the  case  with  most  of  his  brethren  in  arms, 
who,  when  overtaken  with  the  fate  so  common  to  the  pro- 
fession, are  usually  left  to  sustain  their  last  moments  with 
the  lingering  enthusiasm  of  strife  and  victory. 

On  the  other  hand.  Sir  Gervaise  was  as  simple  as  a  child 
in  matters  of  this  sort.  He  had  a  reverence  for  his  Creator 
and  such  general  notions  of  his  goodness  and  love  as  the 
well-disposed  are  apt  to  feel ;  but  all  the  dogmas  concern- 
ing the  lost  condition  of  the  human  race,  the  mediation, 
and  the  power  of  faith,  floated  in  his  mind  as  opinions  not 
to  be  controverted,  and  yet  as  scarcely  to  be  felt.  In  short, 
the  commander-in-chief  admitted  the  practical  heresy 
which  overshadows  the  faith  of  millions,  while  he  deemed 
himself  to  be  a  stout  advocate  of  church  and  king.  Still, 
Sir  Gervaise  Oakes,  on  occasions,  was  more  than  usually 
disposed  to  seriousness,  and  was  even  inclined  to  be  de- 
vout ;  but  it  was  without  much  regard  to  theories  or  revela- 
tion. As  such  moments,  while  his  opinions  would  not 
properly  admit  him  within  the  pale  of  any  Christian  church, 
in  particular,  his  feelings  might  have  identified  him  with 
all.  In  a  word,  we  apprehend  he  was  a  tolerably  fair  ex- 
ample of  what  vague  generalities,  w^hen  acting  on  a  tem- 
perament not  indisposed  to  moral  impressions,  render  the 
great  majority  of  men;  who  flit  around  the  mysteries  of  a 
future  state,  without  alighting  either  on  the  consolations  of 
faith,  or  discovering  any  of  those  logical  conclusions  which 
half  the  time,  unconsciously  to  themselves,  they  seem  to  ex- 
pect. When  Bluewater  made  his  last  remark,  therefore,  the 
vice-admiral  looked  anxiously  at  his  friend;  and  religion 
for  the  first  time  since  the  other  received  his  hurt  mingled 


508  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

with  his  reflections.  He  had  devoutly,  though  mentally, 
returned  thanks  to  God  for  his  victory,  but  it  had  never  oc- 
curred to  him  that  Bluewater  might  need  some  preparation 
for  death. 

"  Would  you  like  to  see  the  Plantagenet's  chaplain,  again, 
Dick."*"  he  said  tenderly;  "you  are  no  Papist;  of  that\ 
am  certain." 

"  In  that  you  are  quite  right,  Gervaise.  I  consider  all 
churches — the  one  holy  Catholic-  Q}i\\ixz\  if  you  will,  as  but 
a  means  furnished  by  divine  benevolence  to  aid  weak  men 
in  their  pilgrimage;  but  I  also  believe  that  there  is  even  a 
shorter  way  to  his  forgiveness  than  through  these  common 
avenues.  How  far  I  am  right,"  he  added,  smiling,  "  none 
will  probably  know  better  than  myself,  a  few  hours  hence/' 

"Friends  must  meet  again,  hereafter,  Bluewater;  it  is 
irrational  to  suppose  that  they  who  have  loved  each  other 
so  well  in  this  state  of  being  are  to  be  forever  separated  in 
the  other." 

"  We  will  hope  so,  Oakes,"  taking  the  vice-admiral's 
hand;  "  we  will  hope  so.  Still,  there  will  be  no  ships  for 
us — no  cruises — no  victories — no  triumphs!  It  is  only  at 
moments  like  this,  at  which  I  have  arrived,  that  we  come  to 
view  these  things  in  their  proper  light.  Of  all  the  past, 
your  constant,  unwavering  friendship  gives  me  the  most 
pleasure!" 

The  vice-admiral  could  resist  no  longer.  He  turned 
aside  and  wept.  This  tribute  to  nature,  in  one  so  manly, 
was  imposing  even  to  the  dying  man,  and  Galleygo  regarded 
it  with  awe.  Familiar  as  the  latter  had  become  with  his 
master,  by  use  and  indulgence,  no  living  being,  in  his  esti- 
mation, was  as  authoritative  or  as  formidable  as  the  com- 
mander-in-chief;  and  the  effect  of  the  present  spectacle 
was  to  induce  him  to  hide  his  own  face  in  self-abase- 
ment. 

Bluewater  saw  it  all,  but  he  neither  spoke  nor  gave  any 
token  of  his  observation.     He  merely  prayed,  and  that  right 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  5O9 

fervently,  not  only  for  his  friend,  but  for  his  humble  and 
uncouth  follower. 

A  reaction  took  place  in  the  system  of  the  wounded  man, 
about  nine  o'clock  that  night.  At  this  time  he  believed 
himself  near  his  end,  and  he  sent  for  Wycherly  and  his 
niece,  to  take  his  leave  of  them.  Mrs.  Button  was  also 
present,  as  was  Magrath,  who  remained  on  shore,  in  attend- 
ance. Mildred  lay  for  half  an  hour,  bathing  her  uncle's 
pillow  with  her  tears,  until  she  was  removed  at  the  sur- 
geon's suggestion. 

"Ye'll  see.  Sir  Gervaise,"  he  whispered — (or  "Sir 
Jairvis,"  as  he  always  pronounced  the  name,) — "ye'll  see. 
Sir  Jairvis,  that  it's  a  duty  of  the  faculty  to  prolong  life, 
even  when  there's  no  hope  of  savi?ig  it;  and  if  ye'll  be  re- 
gairding  the  judgment  of  a  professional  man,  Lady  Wyche- 
combe  had  better  withdraw.  It  would  really  be  a  matter  of 
honest  exultation  for  us  Plantagenets  to  get  the  rear-admiral 
through  the  night,  seeing  that  the  surgeon  of  the  Caesar  said 
he  could  not  survive  the  setting  sun." 

At  the  moment  of  final  separation,  Bluewater  had  little 
to  say  to  his  niece.  He  kissed  and  blessed  her  again  and 
again,  and  then  signed  that  she  should  be  taken  away. 
Mrs.  Button,  also,  came  in  for  a  full  share  of  his  notice,  he 
having  desired  her  to  remain  after  Wycherly  and  Mildred 
had  quitted  the  room. 

"  To  your  care  and  affection,  excellent  woman,"  he  said, 
in  a  voice  that  had  now  sunk  nearly  to  a  whisper,  "  we  owe 
it  that  Mildred  is  not  unfit  for  her  station.  Her  recovery 
would  have  been  even  more  painful  than  her  loss,  had  she 
been  restored  to  her  proper  family,  uneducated,  vulgar,  and 
coarse." 

"That  could  hardly  have  happened  to  Mildred,  sir,  in 
any  circumstances,"  answered  the  weeping  woman.  "  Na- 
ture has  done  too  much  for  the  dear  child,  to  render  her 
anything  but  delicate  and  lovely,  under  any  tolerable  cir- 
cumstances of  depression." 


5IO  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"  She  is  better  as  she  is,  and  God  be  thanked  that  he 
raised  up  such  a  protector  for  her  childhood.  You  have 
been  all  in  all  to  her  in  her  infancy,  and  she  will  strive  to 
repay  it  to  your  age." 

Of  this  Mrs.  Button  felt  too  confident  to  need  assurances; 
and,  receiving  the  dying  man's  blessing,  she  knelt  at  his  bed- 
side, prayed  fervently  for  a  few  minutes,  and  withdrew. 
After  this,  nothing  out  of  the  ordinary  track  occurred  until 
past  midnight,  and  Magrath,  more  than  once,  whispered  his 
joyful  anticipations  that  the  rear-admiral  would  survive 
until  morning.  An  hour  before  day,  however,  the  wounded 
man  revived,  in  a  way  that  the  surgeon  distrusted.  He 
knew  that  no  physical  change  of  this  sort  could  well 
happen  that  did  not  arise  from  the  momentary  ascendency 
of  mind  over  matter,  as  the  spirit  is  on  the  point  of  finally 
abandoning  its  earthly  tenement;  a  circumstance  of  no  un- 
usual occurrence  in  patients  of  strong  and  active  intellec- 
tual properties,  whose  faculties  often  brighten  for  an  instant, 
in  their  last  moments,  as  the  lamp  flashes  and  glares  as  it  is 
about  to  become  extinct.  Going  to  the  bed,  he  examined 
his  patient  attentively,  and  was  satisfied  that  the  final  mo- 
ment was  near. 

"You're  a  man  and  a  soldier,  Sir  Jairvis,"  he  said,  in  a 
low  voice,  "  and  it'll  no  be  doing  good  to  attempt  mislead- 
ing your  judgment  in  a  case  of  this  sort.  Our  respectable 
friend,  the  rear-admiral,  is  articulo  7nortis^  as  one  might 
almost  say;  he  cannot  possibly  survive  half  an  hour." 

Sir  Gervaise  started.  He  looked  around  him  a  little 
wistfully;  for,  at  that  moment,  he  would  have  given  much 
to  be  alone  with  his  dying  friend.  But  he  hesitated  to 
make  a  request  which,  it  struck  him,  might  seem  improper. 
From  this  embarrassment,  however,  he  was  relieved  by 
Bluewater  himself,  who  had  the  same  desire,  without  the 
same  scruples  about  confessing  it.  He  drew  the  surgeon  to 
his  side,  and  whispered  a  wish  to  be  left  alone  with  the 
commander-in-chief. 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  JH 

"Well,  there  will  be  no  trespass  on  the  rules  of  practice 
in  indulging  the  poor  man  in  his  desire,"  muttered  Magrath, 
as  he  looked  about  him  to  gather  the  last  of  his  professional 
instruments,  like  the  workman  who  is  about  to  quit  one 
place  of  toil  to  repair  to  another;  "  and  I'll  just  be  indulg- 
ing him." 

So  saying,  he  pushed  Galleygo  and  Geoffrey  from  the 
room  before  him,  left  it  himself,  and  closed  the  door. 

Finding  himself  alone.  Sir  Gervaise  knelt  at  the  side  of 
the  bed  and  prayed,  holding  the  hand  of  his  friend  in  both 
his  own.  The  example  of  Mrs.  Button,  and  the  yearnings 
of  his  own  heart,  exacted  this  sacrifice;  when  it  was  over 
he  felt  a  great  relief  from  sensations  that  nearly  choked 
him. 

"Do  you  forgive  me,  Gervaise?"  whispered  Bluewater. 

"  Name  it  not — name  it  not,  my  best  friend.  We  all  have 
our  moments  of  weakness,  and  our  need  of  pardon.  May 
God  forget  all  7ny  sins,  as  freely  as  I  forget  your  errors!" 

"  God  bless  you,  Oakes,  and  keep  you  the  same  simple- 
minded,  true-hearted  man,  you  have  ever  been." 

Sir  Gervaise  buried  his  face  in  the  bedclothes,  and 
groaned. 

"  Kiss  me,  Oakes,"  murmured  the  rear-admiral. 

In  order  to  do  this,  the  commander-in-chief  rose  from 
his  knees  and  bent  over  the  body  of  his  friend.  As  he 
raised  himself  from  the  cheek  he  had  saluted,  a  benignant 
smile  gleamed  on  the  face  of  the  dying  man,  and  he  ceased 
to  breathe.  Near  half  a  minute  followed,  however,  before 
the  last  and  most  significant  breath  that  is  ever  drawn  from 
man  was  given.  The  remainder  of  that  night  Sir  Gervaise 
Oakes  passed  in  the  chamber  alone,  pacing  the  floor,  re- 
calling the  many  scenes  of  pleasure,  danger,  pain,  and 
triumph,  through  which  he  and  the  dead  had  passed  in  com- 
pany. With  the  return  of  light,  he  summoned  the  attena- 
ants,  and  retired  to  his  tent 


512  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 


CHAPTER   XXXI. 

And  they  came  for  the  buried  king  that  lay 

At  rest  in  that  ancient  fane  ; 
For  he  must  be  armed  on  the  battle  day, 

With  them  to  deliver  Spain  ! — 
Then  the  march  went  sounding  on, 
And  the  Moors  by  noontide  sun 

Were  dust  on  Tolosa's  plain." 

Mrs.  Hemans. 

It  remains  only  to  give  a  rapid  sketch  of  the  fortunes  of 
our  principal  characters,  and  of  the  few  incidents  that  are 
more  immediately  connected  with  what  has  gone  before. 
The  death  of  Bluewater  was  announced  to  the  fleet,  at  sun- 
rise, by  hauling  down  his  flag  from  the  mizzen  of  the  Cae- 
sar. The  vice-admiral's  flag  came  down  with  it,  and  reap- 
peared at  the  next  minute  at  the  fore  of  the  Plantagenet. 
But  the  little  white  emblem  of  rank  never  went  aloft  again 
in  honor  of  the  deceased.  At  noon,  it  was  spread  over  his 
coflBn,  on  the  main-deck  of  the  ship,  agreeably  to  his  own 
request;  and  more  than  once  that  day  did  some  rough  old 
tar  use  it  to  wipe  the  tear  from  his  eyes. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  day  after  the  death  of  one  of  our 
heroes,  the  wind  came  round  to  the  westward,  and  all  the 
vessels  lifted  their  anchors  and  proceeded  to  Plymouth. 
The  crippled  ships,  by  this  time,  were  in  a  state  to  carry 
more  or  less  sail,  and  a  stranger  who  had  seen  the  melan- 
choly looking  line,  as  it  rounded  the  Start,  would  have  fan- 
cied it  a  beaten  fleet  on  its  return  to  port.  The  only  signs 
of  exultation  that  appeared  were  the  jacks  that  were  flying 
over  the  white  flags  of  the  prizes;  and  even  when  all  had 
anchored  the  same  air  of  sadness  reigned  among  these  vic- 
torious mariners.  The  body  was  landed,  with  the  usual 
forms;  but  the  procession  of  warriors  of  the  deep  that  fol- 
lowed it  was  distinguished  by  a  gravity  that  exceeded  the 
ordinary  aspects  of  mere  form.  Many  of  the  captains,  and 
Greenly  in  particular,  had  viewed  the  manoeuvring  of  Blue- 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  513 

water  with  surprise,  and  the  latter  not  altogether  without 
displeasure ;  but  his  subsequent  conduct  completely  erased 
these  impressions,  leaving  no  other  recollection  connected 
with  his  conduct  that  morning  than  the  brilliant  courage 
and  admirable  handling  of  his  vessels,  by  which  the  fortunes 
of  a  nearly  desperate  day  were  retrieved.  Those  who  did 
reflect  any  longer  on  the  subject  attributed  the  singularity 
of  the  course  pursued  by  the  rear-admiral  to  some  private 
orders  communicated  in  the  telegraphic  signal,  as  already 
mentioned. 

It  is  unnecessary  for  us  to  dwell  on  the  particular  move- 
ments of  the  fleet,  after  it  reached  Plymouth.  The  ships 
were  repaired,  the  prizes  received  into  the  service,  and,  in 
due  time  all  took  to  the  sea  again,  ready  and  anxious  to 
encounter  their  country's  enemies.  They  ran  the  careers 
usual  to  English  heavy  cruisers  in  that  age;  and,  as  ships 
form  characters  in  this  work,  perhaps  it  may  not  be  amiss 
to  take  a  general  glance  at  their  several  fortunes,  together 
with  those  of  their  respective  commanders.  Sir  Gervaise 
fairly  wore  out  the  Plantagenet,  which  vessel  was  broken  up 
three  years  later,  though  not  until  she  had  carried  a  blue 
flag  at  her  main  more  than  two  years.  Greenly  lived  to  be 
a  rear-admiral  of  the  red,  and  died  of  yellow-fever  in  the 
Island  of  Barbadoes.  The  Caesar,  with  Stowel  still  in  com- 
mand of  her,  foundered  at  sea  in  a  winter's  cruise  in  the 
Baltic,  every  soul  perishing.  This  calamity  occurred  the 
winter  succeeding  the  summer  of  our  legend,  and  the  only 
relieving  circumstance  connected  with  the  disaster  was  the 
fact  that  her  commander  got  rid  of  Mrs.  Stowel  altogether, 
from  that  day  forward.  The  Thunderer  had  her  share  in 
many  a  subsequent  battle,  and  Foley,  her  captain,  died  rear- 
admiral  of  England  and  a  vice-admiral  of  the  red,  thirty 
years  later.  The  Carnatic  was  commanded  by  Parker,  until 
the  latter  got  a  right  to  hoist  a  blue  flag  at  the  mizzen; 
which  was  done  for  just  one  day,  to  comply  with  form,  when 
both  ship  and  admiral  were  laid  aside,  as  too  old  for  further 
33 


514  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

use.  It  should  be  added,  however,  that  Parker  was  knighted 
by  the  king  on  board  his  own  ship ;  a  circumstance  that 
cast  a  halo  of  sunshine  over  the  close  of  the  life  of  one  who 
had  commenced  his  career  so  humbly  as  to  render  this 
happy  close  more  than  equal  to  his  expectations.  In  direct 
opposition  to  this,  it  may  be  said  here  that  Sir  Gervaise  re- 
fused, for  the  third  time,  to  be  made  Viscount  Bowldero, 
with  a  feeling  just  the  reverse  of  that  of  Parker's;  for,  se- 
cure of  his  social  position  and  careless  of  politics,  he 
viewed  the  elevation  with  an  indifference  that  was  a  natural 
consequence  enough  of  his  own  birth,  fortune,  and  high 
character.  On  this  occasion — it  was  after  another  victory 
— George  II.  personally  alluded  to  the  subject,  remarking 
that  the  success  we  have  recorded  had  never  met  with  its 
reward ;  when  the  old  seaman  let  out  the  true  secret  of  his 
pertinaciously  declining  an  honor,  about  which  he  might 
otherwise  have  been  supposed  to  be  as  indifferent  to  the 
acceptance  as  to  the  refusal.  "  Sir,"  he  answered  to  the 
remark  of  the  king,  "  I  am  duly  sensible  of  your  majesty's 
favor;  but  I  can  never  consent  to  receive  a  patent  of  nobil- 
ity that,  in  my  eyes,  will  always  seem  to  be  sealed  with  the 
blood  of  my  closest  and  best  friend."  This  reply  was  re- 
membered, and  the  subject  was  never  adverted  to  again. 

The  fate  of  the  Blenheim  was  one  of  those  impressive 
blanks  that  dot  the  pages  of  nautical  history.  She  sailed 
for  the  Mediterranean  alone,  and  after  she  had  discharged 
her  pilot  was  never  heard  of  again.  This  did  not  occur, 
however,  until  Captain  Sterling  had  been  killed  on  her 
decks,  in  one  of  Sir  Gervaise's  subsequent  actions.  The 
Achilles  was  suffered  to  drift  in,  too  near  to  some  heavy 
French  batteries,  before  the  treaty  of  Aix-la-Chapelle  was 
signed ;  and,  after  every  stick  had  been  again  cut  out  of  her, 
she  was  compelled  to  lower  her  flag.  His  earldom  and  his 
courage  saved  Lord  Morganic  from  censure;  but,  being 
permitted  to  go  up  to  Paris,  previously  to  his  exchange,  he 
contracted  a  matrimonial   engagement  with  a    celebrate..' 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  515 

danseuse^  2l  craft  that  gave  him  so  much  future  employment 
that  he  virtually  abandoned  his  profession.  Nevertheless, 
his  name  was  on  the  list  of  vice-admirals  of  the  blue,  when 
he  departed  this  life.  The  Warspite  and  Captain  Goodfel- 
low  both  died  natural  deaths;  one  as  a  receiving-ship,  and 
the  other  as  a  rear-admiral  of  the  white.  The  Dover,  Cap- 
tain Drinkwater,  was  lost  in  attempting  to  weather  Scilly  in 
a  gale,  when  her  commander,  and  quite  half  her  crew,  were 
drowned.  The  York  did  many  a  hard  day's  duty  before 
her  time  arrived;  but,  in  the  end,  she  was  so  much  injured 
in  a  general  action  as  to  be  abandoned  and  set  fire  to,  at 
sea.  Her  commander  was  lost  overboard,  in  the  very  first 
cruise  she  took  after  that  related  in  this  work.  The  Eliza- 
beth rotted  as  a  guard-ship,  in  the  Medway ;  and  Captain 
Blakely  retired  from  the  service  with  one  arm,  a  yellow  ad- 
miral. The  Dublin  laid  her  bones  in  the  cove  of  Cork, 
having  been  condemned  after  a  severe  winter  passed  on  the 
north  coast.  Captain  O'Neil  was  killed  in  a  duel  with  a 
French  officer,  after  the  peace ;  the  latter  having  stated  that 
his  ship  had  run  away  from  two  frigates  commanded  by  the 
Chevalier.  The  Chloe  was  taken  by  an  enemy's  fleet,  in 
the  next  war;  but  Captain  Denham  worked  his  way  up  to 
a  white  flag  at  the  main,  and  a  peerage.  The  Druid  was 
wrecked  that  very  summer,  chasing  inshore,  near  Bordeaux; 
and  Blewet,  in  a  professional  point  of  view,  never  regained 
the  ground  he  lost  on  that  occasion.  As  for  the  sloops  and 
cutters,  they  went  the  way  of  all  small  cruisers,  while  their 
nameless  commanders  shared  the  usual  fates  of  mariners. 

Wycherly  remained  at  Wychecombe  until  the  interment 
of  his  uncle  took  place;  at  which,  aided  by  Sir  Reginald's 
influence  and  knowledge,  and  in  spite  of  Tom's  intrigues, 
he  appeared  as  chief  mourner.  The  affair  of  the  succession 
was  also  so  managed  as  to  give  him  very  little  trouble. 
Tom,  discovering  that  his  own  illegitimacy  was  known,  and 
seeing  the  hopelessness  of  a  contest  against  such  an  antago- 
nist as  Sir  Reginald,  who  knew  quite  as  much  of  the  facts 


5l6  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

as  he  did  of  the  law  of  the  case,  was  fain  to  retire  from  the 
field.  From  that  moment,  no  one  heard  anything  more  of 
the  legacies.  In  the  end  he  received  the  ^2^2 0,000  in  the 
five  per  cents.,  and  the  few  chattels  Sir  Wycherly  had  a  right 
to  give  away;  but  his  enjoyment  of  them  was  short,  as  he 
contracted  a  severe  cold  that  very  autumn,  and  died  of  a 
malignant  fever  in  a  few  weeks.  Leaving  no  will,  his 
property  escheated ;  but  it  was  all  restored  to  his  two  uterine 
brothers,  by  the  liberality  of  the  ministry,  and  out  of  respect 
to  the  long  services  of  the  baron,  which  two  brothers,  it  will 
be  remembered,  alone  had  any  of  the  blood  of  Wychecombe 
in  their  veins  to  boast  of.  This  was  disposing  of  the  sav- 
ings of  both  the  baronet  and  the  judge,  with  a  very  suitable 
regard  to  moral  justice. 

Wycherly  also  appeared,  though  it  was  in  company  with 
Sir  Gervaise  Oakes,  as  one  of  the  principal  mourners  at  the 
funeral  obsequies  of  Admiral  Bluewater.  These  were  of  a 
public  character,  and  took  place  in  Westminster  Abbey. 
The  carriages  of  that  portion  of  the  royal  personages  who 
were  not  restrained  by  the  laws  of  court  etiquette  appeared 
in  the  procession ;  and  several  members  of  that  very  family 
that  the  deceased  regarded  as  intruders  were  present  incog, 
at  his  last  rites.  This,  however,  was  but  one  of  the  many 
illusions  that  the  great  masquerade  of  life  is  constantly 
offering  to  the  public  gaze. 

There  was  little  difficulty  in  establishing  the  claims  of 
Mildred  to  be  considered  the  daughter  of  Colonel  Blue- 
water  and  Agnes  Hedworth.  Lord  Bluewater  was  soon  sat- 
isfied ;  and,  as  he  was  quite  indifferent  to  the  possession  of 
his  kinsman's  money,  an  acquisition  he  neither  wished  nor 
expected,  the  most  perfect  good-will  existed  between  the 
parties.  There  was  more  difficulty  with  the  Duchess  of 
Glamorgan,  who  had  acquired  too  many  of  the  notions  of 
very  high  rank  to  look  with  complacency  on  a  niece  that 
had  been  educated  as  the  daughter  of  a  sailing-master  in  the 
navy.     She  raised  many  objections,  while  she  admitted  that 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  517 

she  had  been  the  confidant  of  her  sister's  attachment  to  John 
Bluewater.  Her  second  son,  Geoffrey,  did  more  to  remove 
her  scruples  than  all  the  rest  united;  and  when  Sir  Gervaise 
Oakes,  in  person,  condescended  to  make  a  journey  to  the 
Park,  to  persuade  her  to  examine  the  proofs,  she  could  not 
well  decline.  As  soon  as  one  of  her  really  candid  mind 
entered  into  the  inquiry,  the  evidence  was  found  to  be  irre- 
sistible, and  she  at  once  yielded  to  the  feelings  of  nature. 
Wycherly  had  been  indefatigable  in  establishing  his  wife's 
claims — more  so,  indeed,  than  in  establishing  his  own; 
and,  at  the  suggestion  of  the  vice-admiral — or,  admiral  of 
the  white,  as  he  had  become  by  a  recent  general  promotion 
— he  consented  to  accompany  the  latter  in  this  visit,  waiting 
at  the  nearest  town,  however,  for  a  summons  to  the  Park,  as 
soon  as  it  could  be  ascertained  that  his  presence  would  be 
agreeable  to  its  mistress. 

"  If  my  niece  prove  but  half  as  acceptable  in  appearance 
as  my  nephew,  Sir  Gervaise,"  observed  the  duchess,  when 
the  young  Virginian  was  introduced  to  her,  and  laying  stress 
on  the  word  we  have  italicized — "  nothing  can  be  wanting 
to  the  agreeables  of  this  new  connection.  I  am  impatient, 
now,  to  see  my  niece;  Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe  has  pre- 
pared me  to  expect  a  young  woman  of  more  than  common 
merit." 

"  My  life  on  it,  duchess,  he  has  not  raised  your  expecta- 
tions too  high.  The  poor  girl  is  still  dwelling  in  her  cot- 
tage, the  companion  of  her  reputed  mother;  but  it  is  time, 
Wychecombe,  that  you  had  claimed  your  bride." 

"I  expect  to  find  her  and  Mrs.  Button  at  the  Hall,  on  my 
return.  Sir  Gervaise;  it  having  been  thus  arranged  between 
us.  The  sad  ceremonies  through  which  we  have  lately 
been  were  unsuited  to  the  introduction  of  the  new  mistress 
to  her  abode,  and  the  last  had  been  deferred  to  a  more  fit- 
ting occasion." 

"  Let  the  first  visit  that  Lady  Wychecombe  pays  be  to 
this  place-,"  said  the  duchess.     "I  do  not  command  it,  Sir 


5l8  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

Wycherly,  as  one  who  has  some  slight  claims  to  her  duty; 
but  I  solicit  it,  as  one  who  wishes  to  possess  every  hold 
upon  her  love.  Her  mother  was  an  on/y  sister )  and  an  on/y 
sister's  child  must  be  very  near  to  one." 

It  would  have  been  impossible  for  the  Duchess  of  Gla- 
morgan to  have  said  as  much  as  this  before  she  saw  the  young 
Virginian ;  but,  now  he  had  t^irned  out  a  person  so  very 
different  from  what  she  expected,  she  had  lively  hopes  in 
behalf  of  her  niece. 

Wycherly  returned  to  Wychecombe,  after  this  short  visit 
to  Mildred's  aunt,  and  found  his  lovely  bride  in  quiet  pos- 
session, accompanied  by  her  mother.  Dutton  still  remained 
at  the  station,  for  he  had  the  sagacity  to  see  that  he  might 
not  be  welcome,  and  modesty  enough  to  act  with  a  cautious 
reserve.  But  Wycherly  respected  his  excellent  wife  too 
profoundly  not  to  have  a  due  regard  to  her  feelings,  in  all 
things;  and  the  master  was  invited  to  join  the  party.  Bru- 
tality and  meanness  united,  like  those  which  belonged  to 
the  character  of  Dutton,  are  not  easily  abashed,  and  he  ac- 
cepted the  invitation,  in  the  hope  that,  after  all,  he  was 
to  reap  as  many  advantages  by  the  marriage  of  Mildred 
with  the  affluent  baronet,  as  if  she  had  actually  been  his 
daughter. 

After  passing  a  few  weeks  in  sober  happiness  at  home, 
Wycherly  felt  it  due  to  all  parties  to  carry  his  wife  to  the 
Park,  in  order  that  she  might  make  the  acquaintance  of  the 
near  relatives  who  dwelt  there.  Mrs.  Dutton,  by  invitation, 
was  of  the  party;  but  Dutton  was  left  behind,  having  no 
necessary  connection  with  the  scenes  and  the  feelings  that 
were  likely  to  occur.  It  would  be  painting  the  duchess  too 
much  dn  beau,  were  we  to  say  that  she  met  Mildred  without 
certain  misgivings  and  fears.  But  the  first  glimpse  of  her 
lovely  niece  completely  put  natural  feelings  in  the  ascen- 
dency. The  resemblance  to  her  sister  was  so  strong  as  to 
cause  a  piercing  cry  to  escape  her,  and,  bursting  into  tears, 
she  folded  the  trembling  young  woman  to  her  heart,  with 


THE   TWO    ADMIRALS.  519 

a  fervor  and  sincerity  that  set  at  naught  all  conventional 
manners.  This  was  the  commencement  of  a  close  intimacy; 
which  lasted  but  a  short  time,  however,  the  duchess  dying 
two  years  later. 

Wycherly  continued  in  the  service  until  the  peace  of 
Aix-la-Chapelle,  when  he  finally  quitted  the  sea.  His 
strong  native  attachments  led  him  back  to  Virginia,  where 
all  his  own  nearest  relatives  belonged,  and  where  his  whole 
heart  might  be  said  to  be,  when  he  saw  Mildred  and  his 
children  at  his  side.  With  him,  early  associations  and 
habits  had  more  strength  than  traditions  and  memorials  of 
the  past.  He  erected  a  spacious  dwelling  on  the  estate  in- 
herited from  his  father,  where  he  passed  most  of  his  time; 
consigning  Wychecombe  to  the  care  of  a  careful  steward. 
With  the  additions  and  improvements  that  he  was  now  ena- 
bled to  make,  his  Virginian  estate  produced  even  a  larger 
income  than  his  English,  and  his  interest^  really  pointed  to 
the  choice  he  had  made.  But  no  pecuniary  considerations 
lay  at  the  bottom  of  his  selection.  He  really  preferred  the 
graceful  and  courteous  ease  of  the  intercourse  which  charac- 
terized the  manners  of  James  River.  In  that  age,  they  were 
equally  removed  from  the  coarse  and  boisterous  jollity  of 
the  English  country  squire,  and  the  heartless  conventionali- 
ties of  high  life.  In  addition  to  this,  his  sensitive  feelings 
rightly  enough  detected  that  he  was  regarded  in  the  mother- 
country  as  a  sort  of  intruder.  He  was  spoken  of,  alluded 
to  in  the  journals,  and  viewed  even  by  his  tenants  as  the 
America7i  landlord;  and  he  never  felt  truly  at  home  in  the 
country  for  which  he  had  fought  and  bled.  In  England, 
his  rank  as  a  baronet  was  not  sufficient  to  look  down  these 
little  peculiarities;  whereas,  in  Virginia,  it  gave  him  a  cer- 
tain cdat^  that  was  grateful  to  one  of  the  main  weaknesses 
of  human  nature.  "  At  home,"  as  the  mother-country  was 
then  affectionately  termed,  he  had  no  hope  of  becoming  a 
privy  councillor;  while  in  his  native  colony  his  rank  and 
Cortune,  almost  as  a  matter  of  course,  placed  him  in  the 


520  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

council  of  the  governor.  In  a  word,  while  Wycherly  found 
most  of  those  worldly  considerations  which  influence  men  in 
the  choice  of  their  places  of  residence  in  favor  of  the  re- 
gion in  which  he  happened  to  be  born,  his  election  was 
made  more  from  feeling  and  taste  than  from  anything  else. 
His  mind  had  taken  an  early  bias  in  favor  of  the  usages  and 
opinions  of  the  people  among  whom  he  had  received  his  first 
impressions,  and  this  bias  he  retained  to  the  hour  of  his  death. 

Like  a  true  woman,  Mildred  found  her  happiness  with 
her  husband  and  children.  Of  the  latter  she  had  but  three ; 
a  boy  and  two  girls.  The  care  of  the  last  was  early  com- 
mitted to  Mrs.  Dutton.  This  excellent  woman  had  re- 
mained at  Wychecombe  with  her  husband,  until  death  put 
an  end  to  his  vices,  though  the  close  of  his  career  was  ex- 
empt from  those  scenes  of  brutal  dictation  and  interference 
that  had  rendered  the  earlier  part  of  her  life  so  miserable. 
Apprehension  of  what  might  be  the  consequences  to  himself 
acted  as  a  check,  and  he  had  sagacity  enough  to  see  that  the 
physical  comforts  he  now  possessed  were  all  owing  to  the 
influence  of  his  wife.  He  lived  but  four  years,  however. 
On  his  death,  his  widow  immediately  took  her  departure  for 
America. 

It  would  be  substituting  pure  images  of  the  fancy  for  a 
picture  of  sober  realities  were  we  to  say  that  Lady  Wyche- 
combe and  her  adopted  mother  never  regretted  the  land  of 
///^/rbirth.  This  negation  of  feeling,  habits,  and  prejudice? 
is  not  to  be  expected  even  in  an  Esquimau.  They  both 
had  occasional  strictures  to  make  on  the  climate  (and  this 
to  Wycherly 's  great  surprise,  for  he  conscientiously  believed 
that  of  England  to  be  just  the  worst  in  the  world),  on  the 
fruits,  the  servants,  the  roads,  and  the  difficulty  of  procuring 
various  little  comforts.  But  as  this  was  said  good-natured- 
ly and  in  pleasantry,  rather  than  in  the  way  of  complaint, 
it  led  to  no  unpleasant  scenes  or  feelings.  As  all  three 
made  occasional  voyages  to  England,  where  his  estates,  and 
more  particularly  settlements  with  his  factor,  compelled  the 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  $21 

baronet  to  go  once  in  about  a  lustrum,  the  fruits  and  the 
climate  were  finally  given  up  by  the  ladies.  After  many 
years,  even  the  slipshod,  careless,  but  hearty  attendance  of 
the  negroes  came  to  be  preferred  to  the  dogged  mannerism 
of  the  English  domestics,  perfect  as  were  the  latter  in  their 
parts;  and  the  whole  subject  got  to  be  one  of  amusement, 
instead  of  one  of  complaint.  There  is  no  greater  mistake 
than  to  suppose  that  the  traveller  who  passes  once  through 
a  country,  with  his  home-bred  and  quite  \\V^\y provincial 
notions  thick  upon  him,  is  competent  to  describe,  with  due 
discrimination,  even  the  usages  of  which  he  is  actually  a 
witness.  This  truth  all  the  family  came,  in  time,  to  dis- 
cover; and  while  it  rendered  them  more  strictly  critical  in 
their  remarks,  it  also  rendered  them  more  tolerant.  As  it 
was,  few  happier  families  were  to  be  found  in  the  British 
empire  than  that  of  Sit  Wycherly  Wychecombe;  its  head 
retaining  his  manly  and  protecting  affection  for  all  depen- 
dent on  him,  while  his  wife,  beautiful  as  a  matron  as  she 
had  been  lovely  as  a  girl,  clung  to  him  with  the  tenacity  of 
the  vine  to  its  own  oak. 

Of  the  result  of  the  rising  in  the  north,  it  is  unnecessary 
to  say  much.  The  history  of  the  Chevalier's  successes  in 
the  first  year,  and  of  his  final  overthrow  at  Culloden,  is  well 
known.  Sir  Reginald  Wychecombe,  like  hundreds  of  oth- 
ers, played  his  cards  so  skilfully  that  he  avoided  commit- 
ting himself;  and,  although  he  lived  and  eventually  died  a 
suspected  man,  he  escaped  forfeitures  and  attainder.  With 
Sir  Wycherly,  as  the  head  of  his  house,  he  maintained  a 
friendly  correspondence  to  the  last,  even  taking  charge  of 
the  paternal  estate  in  its  owner's  absence;  manifesting  to 
the  hour  of  his  death  a  scrupulous  probity  in  matters  of 
money,  mingled  with  an  inherent  love  of  management  and 
intrigue  in  things  that  related  to  politics  and  the  succession. 
Sir  Reginald  lived  long  enough  to  see  the  hopes  of  the  Ja- 
cobites completely  extinguished,  and  the  throne  filled  by  a 
native  Englishman. 


522  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

Many  long  years  after  the  events  which  rendered  the 
week  of  its  opening  incidents  so  memorable  among  its  ac- 
tors must  now  be  imagined.  Time  had  advanced  with  its 
usual  unfaltering  tread,  and  the  greater  part  of  a  generation 
had  been  gathered  to  their  fathers.  George  III.  had  been 
on  the  throne  not  less  than  three  lustrums,  and  most  of  the 
important  actors  of  the  period  of  '45  were  dead — many  of 
them,  in  a  degree,  forgotten.  But  each  age  has  its  own 
events  and  its  own  changes.  Those  colonies,  which  in  1745 
were  so  loyal,  so  devoted  to  the  house  of  Hanover,  in  the 
belief  that  political  and  religious  liberty  depended  on  the 
issue,  had  revolted  against  the  supremacy  of  the  parliament 
of  the  empire.  America  was  already  in  arms  against  the 
mother  country,  and  the  very  day  before  the  occurrence  of 
the  little  scene  we  are  about  to  relate  the  intelligence  of 
the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  had  reached  London.  Although 
the  Gazette  and  national  pride  had,  in  a  degree,  lessened  the 
characteristics  of  this  most  remarkable  of  all  similar  com- 
bats, by  exaggerating  the  numbers  of  the  colonists  engaged, 
and  lessening  the  loss  of  the  royal  troops,  the  impression 
produced  by  the  news  is  said  to  have  been  greater  than  any 
known  to  that  age.  It  had  been  the  prevalent  opinion  of 
England — an  opinion  that  was  then  general  in  Europe,  and 
which  descended  even  to  our  own  times — that  the  animals 
of  the  new  continent,  man  included,  had  less  courage  and 
physical  force  than  those  of  the  old;  and  astonishment  min- 
gled with  the  forebodings  of  the  intelligent  when  it  was 
found  that  a  body  of  ill-armed  countrymen  had  dared  to 
meet,  in  a  singularly  bloody  combat,  twice  their  number  of 
regular  troops,  and  that,  too,  under  the  guns  of  the  king's 
shipping  and  batteries.  Rumors,  for  the  moment,  were  rife 
in  London,  and  the  political  world  was  filled  with  gloomy 
anticipations  of  the  future. 

On  the  morning  of  the  day  alluded  to,  Westminster  Ab- 
bey, as  usual,  was  open  to  the  inspection  of  the  curious  and 
interested.     Several  parties  were  scattered  among  its  aisles 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  523 

and  chapels,  some  reading  the  inscriptions  on  the  simple 
tablets  of  the  dead  which  illustrate  a  nation,  in  illustrating 
themselves ;  others  listening  to  the  names  of  princes  who 
derived  their  consequence  from  their  thrones  and  alliances; 
and  still  other  sets,  who  were  wandering  among  the  more 
elaborate  memorials  that  have  been  raised  equally  to  illus- 
trate insignificance,  and  to  mark  the  final  resting-places  of 
more  modern  heroes  and  statesmen.  The  beauty  of  the 
weather  had  brought  out  more  visitors  than  common,  and 
not  less  than  half-a-dozen  equipages  were  in  waiting,  in 
and  about  Palace  Yard.  Among  others,  one  had  a  ducal 
coronet.  This  carriage  did  not  fail  to  attract  the  attention 
that  is  more  than  usually  bestowed  on  rank,  in  England. 
All  were  empty,  however,  and  more  than  one  party  of  pe- 
destrians entered  the  venerable  edifice,  rejoicing  that  the 
view  of  a  duke  or  a  duchess  was  to  be  thrown  in,  among  the 
other  sights,  gratuitously.  All  who  passed  on  foot,  however, 
were  not  influenced  by  this  vulgar  feeling;  for  one  group 
went  by,  that  did  not  even  cast  a  glance  at  the  collection  of 
carriages;  the  seniors  of  the  party  being  too  much  accus- 
tomed to  such  things  to  lend  them  a  thought,  and  the  ju- 
niors too  full  of  anticipations  of  what  they  were  about  to  see, 
to  think  of  other  matters.  This  party  consisted  of  a  hand- 
some man  of  fifty-odd,  a  lady  some  three  or  four  years  his 
junior,  well  preserved  and  still  exceedingly  atractive;  a 
young  man  of  twenty-six,  and  two  lovely  girls,  that  looked 
like  twins;  though  one  was  really  twenty-one,  and  the  other 
but  nineteen.  These  were  Sir  Wycherly  and  Lady  Wyche- 
combe,  Wycherly,  their  only  son,  then  just  returned  from  a 
five-years'  peregrination  on  the  continent  of  Europe,  and 
Mildred  and  Agnes,  their  daughters.  The  rest  of  the  fam- 
ily had  arrived  in  England  about  a  fortnight  before,  to  greet 
the  heir  on  his  return  from  the  grafid  tour,  as  it  was  then 
termed.  The  meeting  had  been  one  of  love,  though  Lady 
Wychecombe  had  to  reprove  a  few  innocent  foreign  affecta- 
tions, as  she  fancied  them  to  be,  in  her  son^  and  the  baro- 


524  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

net  himself  laughed  at  the  scraps  of  French,  Italian,  and 
German  that  quite  naturally  mingled  in  the  young  man's 
discourse.  All  this,  however,  cast  no  cloud  over  the  party, 
for  it  had  ever  been  a  family  of  entire  confidence  and 
unbroken  love. 

"This  is  a  most  solemn  place  to  me,"observed  Sir  Wych- 
erly,  as  they  entered  at  the  Poets'  Corner,  "  and  one  in  which 
a  common  man  unavoidably  feels  his  own  insignificance. 
But  we  will  first  make  our  pilgrimage,  and  look  at  these 
remarkable  inscriptions  as  we  come  out.  The  tomb  we  seek 
is  in  a  chapel  on  the  other  side  of  the  church,  near  to  the 
great  doors.     When  I  last  saw  it,  it  was  quite  alone." 

On  hearing  this,  the  whole  party  moved  on ;  though  the 
two  lovely  young  Virginians  cast  wistful  and  curious  eyes 
behind  them  at  the  wonders  by  which  they  were  surrounded. 

"Is  not  this  an  extraordinary  edifice,  Wycherly?"  half 
whispered  Agnes,  the  youngest  of  the  sisters,  as  she  clung 
to  one  arm  of  her  brother,  Mildred  occupying  the  other. 
"Can  the  whole  world  furnish  such  another.'*" 

"So  much  for  hominy  and  James  River!"  answered  the 
young  man,  laughing;  "now  could  you  but  see  the  pile  at 
Rouen,  or  that  at  Rheims,  or  that  at  Antwerp,  or  even  that 
at  York,  in  this  good  kingdom,  old  Westminster  would  have 
to  fall  back  upon  its  little  tablets  and  big  names.  But  Sir 
Wycherly  stops;  he  must  see  what  he  calls  his  landfall." 

Sir  Wycherly  had  indeed  stopped  It  was  in  consequence 
of  having  reached  the  head  of  the  choeiir^  whence  he  could 
see  the  interior  of  the  recess,  or  chapel,  toward  which  he 
had  been  moving.  It  still  contained  but  a  single  monu- 
ment, and  that  was  adorned  with  an  anchor  and  other  nau- 
tical emblems.  Even  at  that  distance,  the  words  "  Richard 
Bluewater,  Rear-Admiral  of  the  White,"  might  be 
read.  But  the  baronet  had  come  to  a  sudden  halt,  in  con- 
sequence of  seeing  a  party  of  three  enter  the  chapel,  in 
which  he  wished  to  be  alone  with  his  own  family.  The 
party  consisted  of  an  old  man,  who  walked  with  tottering 


THE  TWO   ADMIRALS.  52$ 

Steps,  and  this  so  much  the  more  from  the  circumstance  that 
he  leaned  on  a  domestic  nearly  as  old  as  himself,  though  of 
a  somewhat  sturdier  frame,  and  of  a  tall,  imposing-looking 
person  of  middle  age,  who  followed  the  two  with  patient 
steps.  Several  attendants  of  the  cathedral  watched  this 
party  from  a  distance  with  an  air  of  curiosity  and  respect; 
but  they  had  been  requested  not  to  accompany  it  to  the 
chapel. 

"  They  must  be  some  old  brother-officers  of  my  poor  un- 
cle's, visiting  his  tomb!"  whispered  Lady  Wychecombe. 
"  The  very  venerable  gentleman  has  naval  emblems  about 
his  attire." 

^^  Do  you — can  you  forget  him,  love?  'Tis  Sir  Gervaise 
Oakes,  the  pride  of  England!  yet  how  changed!  It  is  now 
five-and-twenty  years  since  we  last  met;  still  I  knew  him  at 
a  glance.  The  servant  is  old  Galleygo,  his  steward;  but 
the  gentleman  with  him  is  a  stranger.  Let  us  advance ;  we 
cannot  be  intruders  in  such  a  place." 

Sir  Gervaise  paid  no  attention  to  the  entrance  of  the 
Wychecombes.  It  was  evident,  by  the  vacant  look  of  his 
countenance,  that  time  and  hard  service  had  impaired  his 
faculties,  though  his  body  remained  entire ;  an  unusual  thing 
for  one  who  had  been  so  often  engaged.  Still  there  were 
glimmerings  of  lively  recollections,  and  even  of  strong  sen- 
sibilities about  his  eyes,  as  sudden  fancies  crossed  his  mind. 
Once  a  year,  the  anniversary  of  his  friend's  interment,  he 
visited  that  chapel ;  and  he  had  now  been  brought  here  as 
much  from  habit,  as  by  his  own  desire.  A  chair  was  pro- 
vided for  him,  and  he  sat  facing  the  tomb,  with  the  large 
letters  before  his  eyes.  He  regarded  neither,  though  he 
bowed  courteously  to  the  salute  of  the  strangers.  His  com- 
panion at  first  seemed  a  little  surprised,  if  not  offended,  at 
the  intrusion ;  but  when  Wycherly  mentioned  that  they  were 
relatives  of  the  deceased,  he  also  bowed  complacently,  and 
made  way  for  the  ladies. 

"This  it  ia  as  what  you  wants  to  see.  Sir  Jarvy,"  ob- 


526  THE    TWO    ADMIRALS. 

served  Galleygo,  jogging  his  master's  shoulder  by  way  o£ 
jogging  his  memory.  "  Them  'ere  cables  and  hanchors, 
and  that  'ere  mizzenmast,  with  a  rear-admiral's  flag  a-fly- 
ing,  is  rigged  in  this  old  church,  in  honor  of  our  friend, 
Admiral  Blue,  as  was;  but  as  is  now  dead  and  gone  this 
many  a  long  year." 

"  Admiral  of  the  Blue,"  repeated  Sir  Gervaise  coldly. 
"You're  mistaken,  Galleygo;  I'm  an  admiral  of  the  white, 
and  admiral  of  the  fleet  in  the  bargain.  I  know  my  own 
rank,  sir." 

"  I  knows  that  as  well  as  you  does  yourself,  Sir  Jarvy," 
answered  Galleygo,  whose  grammar  had  rather  become  con- 
firmed than  improved  by  time,  "or  as  well  as  the  First  Lord 
himself.  But  Admiral  Blue  was  once  your  best  friend,  and 
I  doesn't  at  all  admire  at  your  forgetting  him — one  of  these 
long  nights  you'll  be  forgetting  me^ 

"I  beg  your  pardon,  Galleygo;  I  rather  think  not.  I 
remember  _)'(9/^,  when  a  very  young  man." 

"Well,  and  so  you  mought  remember  Admiral  Blue,  if 
you'd  just  try.     I  know'd  ye  both  when  young  luffs,  myself." 

"This  is  a  painful  scene,"  observed  the  stranger  to  Sir 
Wycherly,  with  a  melancholy  smile.  "This  gentleman  is 
now  at  the  tomb  of  his  dearest  friend;  and  yet,  as  you  see, 
he  appears  to  have  lost  all  recollection  that  such  a  person 
ever  existed.  For  what  do  we  live,  if  a  few  brief  years  are 
to  render  our  memories  such  vacant  spots!" 

"  Has  he  been  long  in  this  way.'"  asked  Lady  Wyche- 
combe,  with  interest. 

The  stranger  started  at  the  sound  of  her  voice.  He 
looked  intently  into  the  face  of  the  still  fair  speaker,  before 
he  answered;  then  be  bowed,  and  replied: 

"He  has  been  failing  these  five  years,  though  his  last 
visit  here  was  much  less  painful  than  this.  But  are  our  own 
memories  perfect? — Surely,  I  have  seen  that  face  before! — 
These  young  ladies,  too " 

'*  Geoffrey — dear    cousin     Geoffrey!"     exclaimed    Lady 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  52/ 

Wychecombe,  holding  out  both  her  hands.  "  It  Is — it  must 
be  the  Duke  of  Glamorgan,  Wycherly!" 

No  further  explanations  were  needed.  All  the  parties 
recognized  each  other  in  an  instant.  They  had  not  met  for 
many,  many  years,  and  each  had  passed  the  period  of  life 
when  the  greatest  change  occurs  in  the  physical  appearance ; 
butj  now  that  the  ice  was  broken,  a  flood  of  recollections 
poured  in.  The  duke,  or  Geoffrey  Cleveland,  as  we  prefer 
to  call  him,  kissed  his  cousin  and  her  daughters  with  frank 
affection,  for  no  change  of  condition  had  altered  his  simple 
sea-habits,  and  he  shook  hands  with  the  gentlemen,  with  a 
cordiality  like  that  of  old  times.  All  this,  however,  was 
unheeded  by  Sir  Gervaise,  who  sat  looking  at  the  monu- 
ment, in  a  dull  apathy. 

"Galleygo,"  he  said;  but  Galleygo  had  placed  himself 
before  Sir  Wycherly,  and  thrust  out  a  hand  that  looked  like 
a  bunch  of  knuckles. 

"I  knows  ye!"  exclaimed  the  steward,  with  a  grin.  "I 
know'd  ye  in  the  offing  yonder,  but  I  couldn't  make  out  your 
number.  Lord,  sir,  if  this  doesn't  brighten  Sir  Jarvy  up, 
again,  and  put  him  in  mind  of  old  times,  I  shall  begin  to 
think  we  have  run  out  cable  to  the  better  end." 

"I  will  speak  to  him,  duke,  if  you  think  it  advisable?" 
said  Sir  Wycherly,  in  an  inquiring  manner. 

"Galleygo,"  put  in  Sir  Gervaise,  "what  lubber  fitted  that 
cable? — he  has  turned  in  the  clench  the  wrong  way." 

"  Ay — ay,  sir,  they  is  great  lubbers,  them  stone-cutters, 
Sir  Jarvy;  and  they  knows  about  as  much  of  ships  as  ships 
knows  of  them.  But  here  is  young  Sir  Wycherly  Wyche- 
combe come  to  see  you — the  old  'un's  nevy." 

"  Sir  Wycherly,  you  are  a  very  welcome  guest.  Bowldero 
is  a  poor  place  for  a  gentleman  of  your  merit;  but  such  as 
it  is,  it  is  entirely  at  your  service.  What  did  you  say  the 
gentleman's  name  was,  Galleygo?" 

"  Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe,  the  young  'un — the  old  'un 
slipped  the  night  as  we  moored  in  his  house." 


528  THE   TWO   ADMIRALS. 

"  I  hope,  Sir  Gervaise,  I  have  not  entirely  passed  from 
your  recollection;  it  would  grieve  me  sadly  to  think  so. 
And  my  poor  uncle,  too ;  he  who  died  of  apoplexy  in  your 
presence!" 

^^ NuHus^  nullay  nullum.  That's  good  Latin,  hey!  Duke? 
Nullius^  nullius^  nullius.  My  memory  is  excellent,  gentle- 
men; nominative, /<?««dr  /  genitive, />^«;?^,  and  so  on." 

"  Now,  Sir  Jarvy,  since  you're  veering  out  your  Latin,  1 
should  likes  to  know  if  you  can  tell  a  *clove-hitch'  from  a 
*carrick-bend?' " 

"That  is  an  extraordinary  question,  Galleygo,  to  put  to 
an  old  seaman!" 

"  Well,  if  you  remembers  that,  why  can't  you  just  as 
reasonably  remember  your  old  friend,  Admiral  Blue?" 

"Admiral  of  the  blue!  I  do  recollect  many  admirals  of 
the  blue.  They  ought  to  make  me  ah  admiral  of  the  blue, 
duke;  I've  been  a  rear-admiral  long  enough." 

"You've  been  an  admiral  of  the  blue  once;  and  that's 
enough  for  any  man,"  interrupted  Galleygo,  again  in  his 
positive  manner;  "  and  it  isn't  five  minutes  since  you  know'd 
your  own  rank  as  well  as  the  Secretary  to  the  Admiralty 
himself.  He  veers  and  hauls,  in  this  fashion,  on  an  idee, 
gentlemen,  until  he  doesn't  know  one  end  of  it  from  t'other." 

"  This  is  not  uncommon  with  men  of  great  age,"  observed 
the  duke.  "  They  sometimes  remember  the  things  of  their 
youth,  while  the  whole  of  later  life  is  a  blank.  I  have  re- 
marked this  with  our  venerable  friend,  in  whose  mind  I 
think  it  will  not  be  difficult,  however,  to  revive  the  recollec- 
tion of  Admiral  Bluewater,  and  even  of  yourself;  Sir  Wych- 
erly.     Let  me  make  the  effort,  Galleygo." 

"Yes,  Lord  Geoffrey,"  for  so  the  steward  always  called 
the  quondam  reefer,  "you  does  handle  him  more  like  a 
quick-working  boat  than  any  on  us;  and  so  I'll  take  an 
hopportunity  of  just  overhauling  our  old  lieutenant's  young 
'uns,  and  of  seeing  what  sort  of  craft  he  has  set  afloat  for 
the  next  generation." 


THE    TWO    ADMIRALS.  529 

"Sir  Gervaise,"  said  the  Duke,  leaning  over  the  chair, 
"here  is  Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe,  who  once  served  a 
short  time  with  us  as  a  lieutenant;  it  was  when  you  were  in 
the  Plantagenet.  You  remember  the  Plantagenet,  I  trust, 
my  dear  sir?" 

"The  PlantagenetsC  Certainly,  duke;  I  read  all  about 
them  when  a  boy.  Edwards,  and  Henrys,  and  Richards — " 
at  the  last  name  he  stopped;  the  muscles  of  his  face 
twitched;  memory  had  touched  a  sensitive  chord.  But  it 
was  too  faintly,  to  produce  more  than  a  pause. 

"  There,  now,"  growled  Galleygo,  in  Agnes'  face,  he  be- 
ing just  then  employed  in  surveying  her  through  a  pair  of 
silver  spectacles  that  were  a  present  from  his  master,  "you 
see,  he  has  forgotten  the  old  Planter;  and  the  next  thing 
he'll  forget  to  eat  his  dinner.  It's  wickea^  Sir  Jarvy,  to  for- 
get such  a  ship." 

"  I  trust,  at  least,  you  have  not  forgotten  Richard  Blue- 
water?"  continued  the  Duke,  "he  who  fell  in  our  last  action 
with  the  Comte  de  Vervillin?" 

A  gleam  of  intelligence  shot  into  the  rigid  and  wrinkled 
face;  the  eye  lighted,  and  a  painful  smile  struggled  around 
the  lips. 

"What,  Z>/V/^.^"  he  exclaimed,  in  a  voice  stronger  than 
that  in  which  he  had  previously  spoken.  '''Dick!  hey! 
duke?  good^excelle7ii  Dickl  We  were  midshipmen  together, 
my  lord  duke;  and  I  loved  him  like  a  brother!" 

"  I  knew  you  did !  and  I  dare  say  now  you  can  recollect 
the  melancholy  occasion  of  his  death?" 

"  Is  Dick  dead?  "  asked  the  admiral,  with  a  vacant  gaze. 

"  Lord — Lord,  Sir  Jarvy,  you  knows  he  is,  and  that  'ere 
marvel  constructure  is  his  monerment — now  you  must  re- 
member the  old  Planter,  and  the  County  of  Fairvillian,  and 
the  threshing  we  guv'd  him?" 

"  Pardon  me,  Galleygo ;  there  is  no  occasion  for  warmth. 
When  I  was  a  midshipman,  warmth  of  expression  was  dis- 
approved of  by  all  the  elder  officers." 
34 


530  THE   TWO    ADMIRALS. 

"  You  cause  me  to  lose  ground,"  said  the  Duke,  looking 
at  the  steward  by  way  of  bidding  him  be  silent :  "  is  it  not 
extraordinary,  Sir  Wycherly,  how  his  mind  reverts  to  his 
youth,  overlooking  the  scenes  of  later  life!  Yes,  Dick  is 
dead.  Sir  Gervaise.  He  fell  in  that  battle  in  which  you 
were  doubled  on  by  the  French — when  you  had  Le  Foudroy- 
ant  on  one  side  of  you,  and  Le  Pluton  on  the  other " 

"/  remember  it P^  interrupted  Sir  Gervaise,  in  a  clear 
strong  voice,  his  eye  flashing  with  something  like  the  fire  of 
youth — "I  remember  it!  Le  Foudroyant  was  on  our  star- 
board beam ;  Le  Pluton  a  little  on  our  larboard  bow — Bunt- 
ing had  gone  aloft  to  look  out  for  Bluewater — no — poor 
Bunting  was  killed " 

"  Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe,  who  afterward  married 
Mildred  Bluewater,  Dick's  niece,"  put  in  the  baronet,  him- 
self, almost  as  eager  as  the  admiral  had  now  become ;  "  Sir 
Wycherly  Wychecome  had  been  aloft,  but  was  returned  to 
report  the  Pluton  coming  down!" 

"So  he  did! — God  bless  him!  A  clever  youth,  and  he 
did  marry  Dick's  niece.  God  bless  them  both.  Well,  sir, 
you're  a  stranger,  but  the  story  will  interest  you.  There 
we  lay,  almost  smothered  in  the  smoke,  with  one  two-decker 
at  work  on  our  starboard  beam,  and  another  hammering 
away  on  the  larboard  bow,  with  our  topmasts  over  the  side, 
and  the  guns  firing  through  the  wreck." 

"Ay,  now  you're  getting  it  like  a  book!"  exclaimed  Gal- 
leygo  exultingly,  flourishing  his  stick,  and  strutting  about 
the  little  chapel;  "that's  just  the  way  things  was,  as  I 
knows  from  seeing  'em!" 

"I'm  quite  certain  I'm  right,  Galleygo?" 

"Right!  your  honor's  righter  than  any  log-book  in  the 
fleet.     Give  it  to  'em.  Sir  Jarvy,  larboard  and  starboard!" 

"That  we  did — that  we  did" — continued  the  old  man 
earnestly,  becoming  even  grand  in  aspect,  as  he  rose,  al- 
ways gentlemanlike  and  graceful,  but  filled  with  native  fire, 
"  that  did  we !     De  Vervillin  was  on  our  right,  and  des  Prez 


THE   TWO   ADMIRALS.  53 1 

on  our  left — the  smoke  was  choking  us  all — Bunting — no; 
young  Wychecombe  was  at  my  side ;  he  said  a  fresh  French- 
man was  shoving  in  between  us  and  Le  Pluton,  sir — God 
forbid!  I  thought ;  for  we  had  enough  of  them,  as  it  was. 
There  she  comes!  See,  here  is  her  flying- jib-boom-end — 
and  there — hey!  Wychecombe? — Thafs  the  old  Romany 
shoving  through  the  smoke! — Caesar  himself!  and  there 
stands  Dick  and  young  Geoffrey  Cleveland — he  was  of  your 
family,  duke — there  stands  Dick  Bluewater,  between  the 
knight-heads,  waving  his  hat — HURRAH ! — He's  true,  at 
last!— He's  true,  at  \2^si— HURRAH /    HURRAH/'' 

The  clarion  tones  rose  like  a  trumpet's  blast,  and  the 
cheering  of  the  old  sailor  rang  in  the  arches  of  the  Abbey 
Church,  causing  all  within  hearing  to  start,  as  if  a  voice 
spoke  from  the  tombs.  Sir  Gervaise,  himself,  seemed  sur- 
prised; he  looked  up  at  the  vaulted  roof,  with  a  gaze  half- 
bewildered,  half-delighted. 

"  Is  this  Bowldero,  or  Glamorgan  House,  my  lord  duke," 
he  asked,  in  a  whisper. 

''It  is  neither,  Admiral  Oakes,  but  Westminster  Abbey; 
and  this  is  the  tomb  of  your  friend,  rear-admiral  Richard 
Bluewater." 

"  Galleygo,  help  me  to  kneel,"  the  old  man  added  in  the 
manner  of  a  corrected  school-boy.  "  The  stoutest  of  us  all 
should  kneel  to  God,  in  his  own  temple.  I  beg  pardon, 
gentlemen;   I  wish  to  pray.^' 

The  Duke  of  Glamorgan  and  Sir  Wycherly  Wychecombe 
helped  the  admiral  to  his  knees,  and  Galleygo,  as  was  his 
practice,  knelt  beside  his  master,  who  bowed  his  head  on 
his  man's  shoulders.  This  touching  spectacle  brought  all 
the  others  into  the  same  humble  attitude — Wycherly,  Mil- 
dred, and  their  children,  with  the  noble,  kneeling  and  pray- 
ing in  company.  One  by  one,  the  latter  arose;  still  Gal- 
leygo and  his  master  continued  on  the  pavement.  At  length 
Geoffrey  Cleveland  stepped  forward,  and  raised  the  old 
man,  placing  him,  with  Wycherly's  assistance,  in  the  chair. 


J32  THE  TWO   ADMIRALS. 

Here  he  sat,  with  a  calm  smile  on  his  aged  features,  his 
open  eyes  riveted  seemingly  on  the  name  of  his  friend,  per- 
fectly dead.  There  had  been  a  reaction,  which  suddenly 
stopped  the  current  of  life,  at  the  heart. 

Thus  expired  Sir  Gervaise  Oakes,  full  of  years  and  of 
honors ;  one  of  the  bravest  and  most  successful  of  England's 
sea-captains.  He  had  lived  his  time,  and  supplied  an  in- 
stance of  the  insufficiency  of  worldly  success  to  complete 
the  destiny  of  man ;  having,  in  a  degree,  survived  his  facul- 
ties, and  the  consciousness  of  all  he  had  done  and  all  he 
merited.  As  a  small  offset  to  this  failing  of  nature,  he  had 
regained  a  glimmering  view  of  one  of  the  most  striking 
scenes,  and  of  much  the  most  enduring  sentiment,  of  a  long 
life,  which  God,  in  mercy,  permitted  to  be  terminated  in  the 
act  of  humble  submission  to  his  own  greatness  and  glory. 


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